Narim
by Judge-Douglas-Mason
Summary: Sam has a second chance at love. Will it happen this time or will problems arise?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Wish they were, but they're not. Que Sera Sera

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It had been several years since Sam had last seen Narim and now that the Stargate project had been closed down for various reasons, she sat on the couch in her living room looking at the emotional transmitter that he had given her. She closed her eyes, pushed the red button and began to tear up. Even though she had no real relationship with Narim, she still had very strong feelings for him. He always had a smile for her, no matter what the occasion. He was polite, gentlemanly and like a child, eager to please.

The last she heard from him his world was under attack by the Goa'uld and he transmitted a voice message that lasted only a few seconds. One could hear explosions in the background and the message was full of static, almost to the point where you couldn't hear what he was saying.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The gate room was empty and everything was under cover and the iris closed. If one were watching they could see the iris fluctuate and a lone figure passing through and standing alone on the ramp. He looked around and saw the state of things and having been to Cheyenne Mountain before, he left the gate room and walked up to the control room. Oddly enough, there was still some power at the facility and this was evidenced by the visitor booting up the computer. He accessed a personnel file in order to ascertain a residential address. Once he had the information he wanted, he shut the computer down and used his wrist device so he could pass through the walls and make his way to the surface. A piece of paper in his hand with an address, he walked away from the mountain and headed into town.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Brushing her teeth, Sam checked her teeth in the mirror and then shut off the bathroom light. She climbed into bed and looked at the device on her bedside table. When she was at home it was rarely out of her sight and she would access the emotions almost on a daily basis. She missed him so much. Too much to tell anyone because it would just bring back sad memories, but at the same time happy memories of the time she'd spent with him. She slowly drifted to sleep and dreamed of him again. She'd been dreaming of him a lot as of late but didn't know why. Her dreams were of she and him walking, hand in hand as well as some dreams of a more personal nature.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Walking down the street and checking the address to make sure he was in the right place, he walked up the walkway and touched the device on his wrist; passing right through the front door. Quietly, he made his way through the house until he found Sam's bedroom. He stood and watched her sleep for a few moments before sitting on the edge of her bed and reaching out his hand to stroke her cheek. It was a few moments before she awoke and when she opened her eyes she thought she had to be dreaming. As far as she knew this man was dead, but to have him sitting in front of her, she blinked several times and gave a sleepy smile.

"I've missed you so much, Samantha." he said

Still stunned, she managed a few words.

"I thought you were dead." she replied

"I would have been, if not for the message I sent the Nox. Right after my transmission to you Laia appeared and helped some of us through the gate before it was totally destroyed. They helped us find a new planet to colonize and it was just now that I am able to contact you." he explained

Sitting up in bed, Sam couldn't believe her ears, nor her eyes.

"You once said that I could request asylum and it would be granted. Is that still the case?" he asked

"A lot has changed since then. The project has been shut down and you'd essentially be an illegal alien. We'd have to get you papers and other identification. With me in the military, that shouldn't be too hard. But what of your world? You'd be leaving everything behind." she said

"There's nothing for me there. Besides, I'd rather spend my life with you than on another planet by myself. That is if your offer is still good. I've missed you so much and can't imagine my life without you. Over these past several years my thoughts have fixated on you and I know now that I love you. I remember you saying that you didn't want a relationship until you knew who's feelings you were feeling. If you don't feel for me I'll return to Tolana, but I'd much rather be here with you; that is if you'll have me." he went on

Sitting and thinking for a moment, Sam thought about something he had said to her when they first met, in that "What your mind doesn't know, your heart fills in." Those words echoed in her head as she made to get out of bed. Seeing her sleeping attire, Narim turned his back while Sam changed into something more appropriate. She walked to the bathroom and put on her bathrobe and rejoined Narim in the bedroom. It was very early in the morning and since she was awake now, she gestured for Narim to follow her into the main area of the house. In the kitchen, she put on a pot of coffee and took note of his attire; grey. It was always various shades of grey. Smiling, she asked.

"Why do you always wear grey?"

"It has always been. However, I'm willing to wear other colours." he said, smiling

The coffee had finished brewing and Sam fixed a mug for her and one for Narim. She handed him the mug and he looked at it quizzically.

"What is this?" he asked

"Its called coffee. We drink it to wake up or stay awake. Since its early and you woke me up and now I'm wide awake, I figured I'd make some. Try some. You might like it." she offered

Narim slowly lifted the brim of the mug to his lips and took a sip. The look on his face told her that he didn't like it much. He set the mug on the coffee table and sat in silence as Sam sipped her drink. He took in her facial features, her shapely form and the way she smiled when she realized he was watching her. Turning to him, she smiled.

"We'll have to talk about you're staying here. Not that it's a problem, its just going to be a bit complicated to get you legal. But it can be done." she explained

"So you have feelings for me?" he said simply

"I've always had feelings for you. I just wanted to make sure they were my feelings." she said

These words brought a smile to Narim's lips and he relaxed back into the back of the couch. He was glad that she seemed to share his feelings and after several hours of talking, Sam was getting tired again and let out a great yawn. Noticing this, Narim stood and gestured for Sam to return to her bedroom. She showed him to the guest room and pulled an extra blanket from the closet and set it on the bed.

"You can stay here for now, and as you know, my room is just down the hall. If you need anything just wake me." she said

Narim removed his boots and lay down on the bed while Sam went back to her room and climbed back under the covers.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

In the guest room Narim removed the devices from his arms and set them on the bedside table. He picked one up and pressed the yellow button and closed his eyes. In his mind's eye he could see and feel his emotions for Sam from the time he entered her bedroom until the time when she left the guest room for her own room. He kept playing the "emotion" device until he fell asleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When the sun came up, Narim looked out the window and marveled at all the animals that he could see in Sam's back yard. He was like a child, in that he was curious about everything and wanted to learn as much as he could about everything. In the corner of the guest room there was a television with a remote on top of it. He took the remote and started pressing random buttons until the tellie came on. He figured out the remote quickly and turned the volume down so as not to wake Sam who was in the other room. He watched for a couple of hours before he noticed Sam standing in the doorway to his room. She greeted him with a smile and stepped inside. She sat on the edge of his bed and turned to him.

"We need to get you some new clothes. Your outfit might look a bit strange to those that have not traveled to other worlds. I picture you in jeans and a t-shirt." she said, smiling


	2. Chapter 2

Grabbing a trench coat from the hall closet for Narim to cover his strange clothing, they left the house and set out for the local shopping mall in search of some clothing for Narim. When all was done they'd picked up three pairs of jeans, two pairs of khaki slacks, some t-shirts of various colours along with some button up shirts; some of them plaid flannel and others of solid colour. They also picked up some Polo shirts and several sets of footwear; one pair of hiking boots, one pair of trainers and a pair of dress casual shoes. From another store they picked up some grooming supplies, underclothes (Narim was a boxer/brief man) and a few jackets of various weights. 

When they had purchased the clothing for Narim, he and Sam went to the market for food. While in produce, Narim was amazed at the variety of fruits and vegetables available. He handled, smelled and tasted several fruits and veggies and loaded up the cart. Seeing this, Sam smiled and laughed.

"Hey, save room for the rest of the stuff." Sam said

"There's more? I am most anxious to sample whatever you eat daily." he said

They made their way through the market picking up various meats, soy substitutes, breads, snacks and ready made foods. Narim gave a disapproving look as Sam put the meat in the cart and addressed this.

"You eat the meat of animals?" he asked

"Some of us do. However, if you don't eat meat, then neither will I." she said as she steered the cart back to the meat section to return the items

She figured that the Tolans were vegetarians, given that they didn't have animals on Tolana. Truth be told, she didn't eat much meat anyway, so giving it up wouldn't be all that hard. When they were done at the market they headed home to unpack the day's purchases. While Narim stowed his clothing in the bureau and wardrobe in the guest room, Sam unpacked the groceries and put everything in it's place.

In his room, Narim was putting on some of the clothing that had just been purchased. He put on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and the trainers that they had gotten that day. Emerging from his room and entering the kitchen, he cleared his throat to make his presence known. Sam turned round' and saw Narim in his new clothes. He turned around slowly so she could see how he looked and smiled when he saw the look on her face.

"How do I look. Do I blend in appropriately?" he asked

Looking him over, Sam noticed that he had quite a nice butt and a broad and muscular chest with some nice biceps. He looked great; more than that, he looked fantastic. His hair was perfect, as per usual, and he had shaved using the electric razor that had been purchased. He read the instructions and cleaned himself up. Though the humans were far less technologically advanced than the Tolans, Narim was learning quickly. He had a bit of trouble tying his shoes, but after a couple of tries with various knots, he succeeded with the "rabbit through the loop" technique. He was pleased that Sam seemed to like him in his new clothes and her comments furthered his happiness.

"You look great. Who would have known what lay beneath those loose fitting clothing that you normally wear. You're in very good shape." she said smiling

She wanted to say more but decorum and tact kept her words in her mouth. She wanted to say that she liked his nice broad chest and the way he looked in jeans and that his overall appearance was pleasing to the eye. Though he had just put the clothing on, she wanted to divest him of his garb and make mad, passionate love to him as she had wanted to do whenever they were in each other's presence. Sam's feelings for him went far deeper than she had let on because she didn't want jump to any conclusions or say or do anything that would be taken the wrong way or that she would regret later. However, years had passed since she'd seen him or heard from him but in all truth she had thought about him nearly on a daily basis. Even when she was with Pete, she held back because of her feelings for Narim; even though, at the time, she believed he was dead. If she were honest with herself she had been wishing and hoping beyond all hope that he had made it off the planet before the total destruction of Tolana. She waited for years, hoping for some sign that he was still alive and that he would find some way to contact her. She had nearly given up when he showed up in her bedroom. When she saw his face it was all she could do not to start crying tears of joy in seeing that he was alive and in good health.

Since the Stargate project had closed down Sam had been transferred to another part of the Air Force where she was actually working on deep space telemetry. Unbeknownst to Narim, this was the first day of a much needed two week vacation that Sam was taking. This proved advantageous to both of them. It would give Narim time to adjust himself to Earth customs and it would give her time to work on making him legal and bringing him up to speed on things that had happened since their last encounter.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was getting dark outside and as Sam made supper, Narim watched the tellie and flipped through the channels. He settled on The History Channel and leaned back into the couch as he became engrossed in a programme about the evolution of dinosaurs,  
primitive man and humans as they were today.

In the kitchen Sam was making breaded eggplant with steamed veggies and some red wine to wash it down. When the table had been set and the food and drink were set out, she summoned Narim to the dining room table. They sat down and she watched as Narim savored every bite of his evening meal. When they were done, they left the plates on the table and brought their wine glasses and the bottle into the living room. They sat on the couch, a safe distance from each other and continued to watch the tellie.

Several hours later Sam woke up on the couch, but on her side; her head in Narim's lap with him running his fingers through her hair. She had to admit that it felt good, but slightly awkward. She could more than handle herself with the average man and not for one second thought that Narim would do anything untoward. He wasn't that sort of man; he was a gentleman. He would ask or make his intentions known before even attempting anything and even then, Sam got the distinct impression that he was a man that liked to take things slow and not rush into anything.

She opened her eyes, rolled over onto her back and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and took note of the time on the clock on the dvd player. It was around midnight and as she made to stand up she wobbled a bit but Narim caught her arm, escorted her to her bedroom and helped her into bed. As she settled in, she looked at him and issued an invitation for him to join her, with the understanding that they were just sleeping for company. To this, he agreed. He sat on the other side of her bed and removed his socks, shoes, and jeans. Not wanting to scare her off, he kept his t-shirt on as well as his boxer/briefs.  
He climbed under the covers and lay on his back as Sam scooted up beside him, resting her head on his chest. He draped his free arm around her shoulder and listened to her breathe as she fell back to sleep. For himself, he lay awake for several hours, just taking in the feeling of her body in such close contact with his. He was remembering his final thoughts as he watched Sam running to the Stargate all those years back. He promised himself that if he ever saw her again he would ask her to enter into a union of the soul with him; essentially a marriage. Now knowing that they shared some of the same feelings, Narim was fairly confident that she would agree. However, he'd wait a while so that they could grow more accustomed to each other before he'd ask her. All those years without her and all those years rebuilding his civilization, she was never far from his thoughts, as he had one of those emotion devices to keep him company. Nearly every night he'd "feel" her before he went to sleep and he'd "feel" her again when he woke.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When he woke the following morning he and Sam were on their sides, spooned up against each other. He liked this position for sleeping as it allowed full body contact and he could smell her shampoo and the general aroma that emanated from her. She had a smell about her that he couldn't quite place, but he knew it and looked forward to it every time he got word that SG1 would be visiting Tolana. He noticed that his heart would race, his palms would sweat and his vision would focus intently. He fell in love with her the very first time he saw her when his planet had turned volcanic. And then in the infirmary, when he saw her again, he thought she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen and from that point on she was in his mind always; almost to the point where he was unable to perform his duties effectively.

In his society it was custom to get to know another person before beginning carnal relations and oftentimes couples would wait until they married to "share" each other. Narim was still pure and to be honest, he was saving himself for Sam. As he was unaccustomed to human relations, he had no idea that Sam was not pure; he just assumed. In his mind it would be a beautiful ceremony. Typically when two people enter into a union of the soul there is a third person who presides over the ceremony and explains what is expected of each other in regard to the union. This would prove to be difficult because of the nature of Narim's arrival and no one on Earth was familiar with Tolan customs. He supposed he would have to make do with an Earth representative and hope that their customs would be similar in this particular situation.

Sam was slowly waking up and felt Narim's arm draped over her abdomen and squeezed gently. She shifted in place and slowly lifted his arm so she could use the bathroom. She did her business, washed her hands and brushed her teeth before returning to bed. As soon as she climbed back under the covers Narim got up and used the bathroom, himself. He did the same things that Sam did and returned to bed with fresh breath. They lay in bed for a while just talking about their current situation and his predicament. As they talked they were face to face and Sam got lost in Narim's eyes. The colour of them; a kind of green/brown and his hair was still perfect. Now, here was a man that didn't suffer from bed head. They were in the middle of discussing what they would do that day when Narim reached out and gently stroked her cheek. She began to blush as he moved closer until his lips were mere inches from hers. She made the first move when she gently touched her lips to his in a soft and gentle kiss that eventually became decidedly more passionate as the moments passed by. Eventually they began to physically explore each other's bodies in slow and deliberate caresses. Narim was careful to avoid the problem areas as was Sam. He loved how smooth her skin was and the little goose bumps that emerged when he ran his finger tips up and down her spine. For her, she loved his broad chest and lightly scratched his chest hair with her fingernails. This made Narim squirm, as he was ticklish. Sam laughed as she continued to run her fingers through his chest hair as Narim squirmed. She climbed on top of him and continued her blissful torture and found out that he was also ticklish on his ribs and around his nonexistent love handles. With all the wriggling around, Sam leaned in and looked into his eyes and saw that they had darkened. She leaned in and gave him another kiss that lasted for several moments, but Narim put a stop to things before they went any further.

"We shouldn't do this." he managed

"Why not?" she asked, still tickling him

"Because our customs are fairly clear. We don't usually engage in relations until a union of the soul has been performed. Then we consummate our union." he explained

"You mean to tell me that you've never been with a woman?"

"That is correct. I decided to wait until I found the right one. The one I want to spend the rest of my life with." he went on

"Union of the soul; is that like a marriage? Two people enter into a spiritual contract to love, honour and share the rest of their lives together." she explained

"That's correct. I am saving myself; staying pure until I enter into a union." he explained

"And you want that union with me?"

"Correct."


	3. Chapter 3

This was all coming as a complete surprise to Sam as she tried to assimilate all the information that Narim had just given her. True, she had very strong feelings for him, but she wondered if her feelings were strong enough to enter into a union with him. Obviously his feelings were strong enough for her to make his proposal. Sam had a lot of thinking to do. Did she love him as much as he loved her; presently she was unsure. Seeing the look on her face, Narim enquired. 

"You do not want to enter into a union?" he asked

"Its not that I don't, its just a lot of information to process all at once." she said

"I understand. You want to make a completely informed decision before doing anything of this magnitude. I can wait. I've known you for several years and I'm nothing if not patient." he said

"I just need to think about all of this. Its not that I don't have feelings for you, but I have to decide if those feelings are strong enough; and they are strong, but maybe not enough at this particular point in time." she explained

"I understand."

Sam sat on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands when Narim came to sit beside her and rubbed her back with his hand in an attempt to soothe her. After a few moments, she got up and went into the bathroom to take a shower. As Narim heard the spray of the shower, he went into the kitchen to make some coffee. He opened the freezer and removed the bag of grounds and read the instructions. He found the filters in a cabinet above the coffee maker and proceeded to make the morning brew. When she was done, Sam wrapped a towel around her chest and walked down the hall to her room, stopping along the way to tell Narim that he could take his shower now. To this, he looked at her and gave an odd sort of expression.

"Shower?"

"Its how we cleanse ourselves each day. Let me dress and I'll show you how it works." she said

She dressed in some jeans, a form-fitting top and some thick socks. She went into the living room where she found Narim sitting on the couch watching the tellie.

"Your world is truly a strange place. So much hate, so much anger and destruction. However, I find the more subdued channels more to my liking. I like the History channel. it's a great way to learn about your cultures and customs." he said

Setting the remote down and standing up, he followed Sam into the bathroom where she showed him the workings of the shower. She turned the water on, set the spray and showed him the soap and shampoo and explained them.

"The soap is for your body and the shampoo is for your hair. I'll set out a towel so you can dry off when you're done." she explained

"Thank you, Samantha."

"You're welcome." she said as she left Narim to himself

Undressing and stepping into the shower, Narim closed his eyes and felt the warmth of the water cascading down his body. He took the soap and began to wash his arms, then his chest and legs, followed by the back scrubber. He used the shampoo and when he had washed everything from his body, he turned off the water, stepped from the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. He shaved and combed his hair and when he was done he stepped from the bathroom and Sam caught a glimpse of him as he was walking to the guest room. She loved the way he looked sans clothing, but wouldn't tell him just yet; she'd wait until they'd spent more time together. She hoped they would be spending a lot of time together over these couple of weeks, before she had to go back to work. Thinking about work made her wonder what sort of job Narim would get, as he was fairly overqualified for just about everything in the civilian sector. Maybe he would work from home doing medical transcription or something of that nature.

When Narim emerged from his room he was wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a dark blue polo shirt along with a pair of hiking boots. His hair was perfect, as it always was and as he made his way into the kitchen Sam turned to see him and smiled. Even though she was smiling, he could tell that something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Samantha?"

"Nothing, really. I was just wondering what it was that you did back on Tolana; as a profession. If you're going to stay here on Earth we need to get you a job because my income can sustain us for a while, but not indefinitely. A second income would help out tremendously." she explained

"Back on Tolana I was an architect and builder. Is there need for either of these here on Earth. I could be what you call an independent contractor. But what do I need first, a work visa or a green card?" he asked

"You've done your research. We can apply for a green card and when they ask what for, we can tell them that you're a relative from Europe and that you want to immigrate to the United States. When they ask about a job, we can tell them that you're going to build a deck for me. That would give you a place of origin and a job. This would make things easier in getting you started. How does that sound?"

Narim thought about Sam's words for a few moments before he replied.

"I wouldn't want you to do anything illegal just to keep me here." he asserted

"Its not exactly 100 percent truthful, but it'll expedite your citizen status. And if push comes to shove we can get married and that'll make you a citizen by marriage, but I want to save that for last; if our options run out." she explained

"You'd marry me just to keep me here?" he asked

"Look, Narim. I love you. Maybe my feelings aren't as strong as yours are for me, but love is enough of a reason to marry. My feelings will, no doubt, grow deeper for you in the future; but my point is that I DO love you and yes, I'm willing to marry you to keep you here. I've missed you every day since your last communication and thought of you often; hoping you made it off the planet before it was destroyed." she said, nearly coming to tears

Narim sat and listened to her words and was about to reply when she said her final words.

"Damn it, Narim. I lost you once. I won't lose you again.''

This time she actually started to tear up and seeing this, he draped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer to him as he tried to soothe her. She composed herself enough to get up and go to the bathroom and dry her eyes. While she was gone, Narim thought about what a strong willed person she was and the lengths she would go to in order to keep him by her side. That was one of the things that he liked so much about her; her determination. When she returned to the living room she walked into a two armed full embrace that seemed to make all the problems go away. They stood there for a few moments until Sam pulled back a bit and smiled weakly at him. He always had a smile for her and this case was no different, as he smiled down at her.

"We'll find a way to make things work. We'll do whatever we have to do." he said, releasing her

Walking to the closet by the front door, Narim grabbed two jackets and gestured to the front door. Sam walked over to him and put on her jacket as he put his on. Opening the front door, he turned to her and smiled.

"Let's go for a walk. I'd love to see more of your world, even if its only your neighbourhood.'

They left the house, hand in hand, and walked down the sidewalk and through the park and sat on a picnic table, watching children play and interact. There was also a dog park that Narim was fascinated by. Sitting at the table, their hands still joined they talked about family and children. Sam had always wanted a family and two or three children. Narim was of the mind that children were a blessing and he wanted them as well. However, since he was saving himself for Sam and the union, he was growing somewhat sexually frustrated. Several times the previous night he'd wanted to make love to her but he kept his will strong by telling himself that premarital sex was wrong and that if two people really loved each other they could wait until they were joined.

"So, what are your feelings about children? Do you like them? Would you like them?" he asked

Taking a moment to think things over, Sam replied.

"Yeah, I love kids and of course I'd like to have at least a couple." she said

"Do you prefer boys or girls?"

"Well, we rescued a girl from a planet several years ago. Her name is Cassandra. However, I suppose I'd like to have a boy or two; maybe a Narim Jr., perhaps."


	4. Chapter 4

Narim and Sam sat at the picnic table discussing life, love and the pursuit of happiness as they watched the children playing on the playground. After about an hour of sitting and watching a large group of children arrived and a youth soccer game ensued. As the children kicked the ball back and forth Narim enquired. 

"What game are they playing?"

"It's a game called soccer. The team with the blue shirts try to kick the ball into the goal of the team with the yellow shirt. See the kid guarding the frame down that end of the field; that's the goal. The more times the ball passes through each goal; that team wins." she explained

"And children like this game?" he asked

"Yeah, but there are other games. Games like baseball, football, ice hockey, basketball and wrestling. You might want to check out some of the sports channels on the tellie when we get home and I can explain how some of them are played." she said

"It sounds like these games are good for exercise and staying in peak physical condition. I assume adults play these games as well?" he asked

"Yeah, but adults get paid to play these games and children do not. However, some children grow up to play and get paid. That's why I suggested you check out the sports channels." she said

"I'll do that." he said

They sat and watched the game and when it was over they walked back to the house, hand in hand. It was around 16:00hrs and as Sam checked her e-mail Narim flipped through some of the channels on the tellie looking for some sports shows. He settled on OLN and sat back as he watched a strongman competition. Presently, there was a large Polish man wearing a harness on his chest and back who was trying to pull an 18-wheeler 100 yards and the man that pulled it the fastest won the challenge. This was interesting to Narim and he seemed to like this channel more than the other sports channels.

At her desk Sam was presently reading an e-mail from Jack. He had retired when the gate project had closed down. The mail read that he was going to be at Sam's house that evening for their pre-arranged dinner and movie night. They had been doing this for over a year now; Jack would come over one night during the week and they'd have dinner and watch a movie. Sam had forgotten that he was supposed to come over tonight and as soon as she read the mail she became flushed. Turning round' in her seat, she got up and joined Narim on the couch. Turning to him, she spilled.

"We might have a problem. Jack is coming over tonight for our movie night." she said

"Movie night?" he asked

"Yeah. Once a week he comes over, we eat dinner and watch a movie." she explained

"Should I make myself scarce?" he asked

"I don't believe that'll be necessary. It'll just be an awkward situation, but we'll get through it."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was 18:00hrs and when the front door opened Jack could hear conversation in the kitchen. One of the voices sounded familiar and as Jack pocketed his set of keys he walked down the hall and saw Sam and another man in the kitchen cooking. From the back he could not tell who the man was, but as they continued to talk Jack realized who it was.

"Carter, Narim. Hey."

They both turned around and looked at Jack. Sam's face was a bit flushed and Narim had a look of fear on his face. Jack set the bottle of wine that he had brought on the counter as he took a stool at the breakfast bar. He looked at both of them with a sort of blank expression on his face. Neither Jack nor Sam brought up the subject of Narim's presence and wouldn't do so during the whole night. Jack decided he'd send her an e-mail asking the details when he got home or the next day. But for tonight, they just carried on as usual and acted as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

After dinner and the movie, they sat around talking about things in general; being very careful not to address the issue of Narim. After a while Sam pulled out the Scrabble board and set things up as she explained the rules to Narim. As they played, Narim was racking up the points almost as though he'd read the dictionary. In the end he'd won with a total of 680 points to Sam's 420 and Jack's 570.

When the hour was late they all called things quits and Jack left while Sam and Narim got ready for bed. She was in her room settling into bed while Narim was in the guest room undressing. After about ten minutes Sam got up and stood in the doorway to the guest room.

"You're sleeping in here? My bed is big enough for the both of us." she said

"I think its best if I slept in here; safer for the both of us." he said simply

"If you think so." she replied

She went back to her room and climbed back in bed. She wondered why Narim was sleeping in the guest room when she had made it plain that she had no problem sharing a bed with him. After a while she figured that it had something to do with the whole purity and union issue. Maybe he didn't want to be in a position where he might be tempted to break from his customs, which was a shame because Sam enjoyed his company in bed.

Around 03:00hrs Narim could hear sounds coming from Sam's room and he got up to make sure all was fine. As he stood in her doorway he watched as she writhed back and forth in bed like she was having a bad dream. He approached her and gently nudged her awake. Her eyes full of sleep, she sat up in bed and looked at him.

"What's the matter?" she asked

"Well, you were making a lot of noise and I wanted to make sure you were alright." he explained

"I'm fine." she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead

Thinking for a moment, Narim swallowed hard, then spoke.

"I'll keep you company until you fall asleep." he offered

"Are you sure?" she asked

"I'll be fine." he replied

Several hours later and both Narim and Sam were asleep soundly. It wasn't until 07:00hrs, when Sam woke up to use the bathroom that she noticed that Narim had fallen asleep and was resting comfortably on his side. She took a moment to admire his shape and the way his face seemed so peaceful; she loved to watch him sleep. As quietly as she could, Sam went to the bathroom and when she was done she returned to bed. She climbed under the covers only to have Narim snuggle up behind her, draping his arm around her waist. She could tell that he was still asleep because of his breathing pattern. She closed her eyes and within half an hour she was asleep again.

The sun was up and very bright as Narim opened his eyes and was nearly blinded by the light. He carefully got up and closed the blinds and returned to bed, resuming his previous position behind her. It was a most comfortable position and as inhaled the scent of her hair and the shampoo and conditioner she used and the last thing he remembered before falling back to sleep was the sweet smell of her.

It was around 09:00hrs when Sam woke up and rolled over onto her back, still within Narim's grasp. She raised her arm above her head and turned her head to watch Narim sleeping. Within a matter of minutes his eyes began to open and when they fully did, she was staring into Narim's beautiful eyes and he hers. Realizing where he was, he quickly apologized and made to get out of bed. Sam stopped him by rolling over and wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Don't go. Stay." she said

"I think its best that I sleep in the guest room." he said

"Why?"

"Because whenever I share a bed with you I'm tempted to break with my customs and engage in pre-union copulation and that would be wrong. When I share a bed with you all manner of sexual ideas come to mind and I don't want to violate the customs of my society." he explained

"And you believe in these customs so strongly that you're willing to sleep in the guestroom until our union? Narim, that could be months or years." she replied

"Like I said, I'm nothing if not patient. However, with you, I feel myself wanting to abandon those customs and engage in pre-union relations, and as good as it may feel at the time, I know I'll regret it after the fact. I want to stay pure for both of us." he said

"Narim, I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm not what you'd call pure. I'm not promiscuous, but I have been with one or two men before. So, I don't mind if you're pure or not. Sharing ourselves with each other is just another way to get to know each other better. Making love is a way to find out what the other person likes, wants and needs. Its not wrong to make love before marriage; lots of people do it. And like I said, it's a good way to get to know the other person." she explained

Thinking about her words, Narim could see the point she was trying to make. He wondered if, after their union, they would be sexually compatible. What if after they united they discovered that they were unable to please each other. These were the thoughts running through his head as he tried to see her point. Her words were wise and made complete sense and Narim couldn't help but agree with her on several points. But always in the back of his mind were the customs of his planet and civilization. There was the part of him that wanted to abandon his customs, but there was also the part of him that wanted to completely divest Sam of her clothing and make love to her. He was wrangling with the difference between his heart and his mind. It was then that he remembered, again, the words he'd spoken to her soon after they first met. He'd told her that what the mind doesn't know, your heart fills in. These words went through his mind as he struggled with what he wanted to do and what he felt was right.

As Narim sat thinking, Sam got up and went into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. While the coffee was brewing, Narim sat still on the edge of her bed while she took a shower. It wasn't a long shower, but being the gentleman that he was, Narim made sure he was out of her room by the time she finished so she could dress in private. While in the shower all Sam could think of was how much she wanted to make love to Narim and how steadfast he was in regard to his customs. Ultimately the decision would be his to make, as Sam promised herself that she wouldn't make any sort of move on him until or unless he initiated things.  
Turning the shower off and drying herself, she brushed her teeth and combed her hair before entering her bedroom.

In his room, Narim was still thinking when Sam told him that it was his turn for a shower. As she went into the kitchen she could hear Narim in the bathroom taking a shower and set out a fresh towel for him on the sink top.

"I put a fresh towel out for you. Its on the sink top."

Opening the shower door just enough to pop his head out, he thanked her, closed the door and went back to his shower. From the kitchen, with breakfast cooking, she could hear the shower turn off and a few moments later she saw Narim walking down the hall with the towel around his waist. In his room, he stood in front of the open closet trying to decide what to wear. Unbeknownst to him, Sam was standing in the doorway watching him stare blankly into the closet.

"Might I suggest jeans and a t-shirt?" she asked

Narim turned round' and looked at her as he scratched his head.

"You think I should?"

"Yes. You look good in jeans and t-shirt." she replied

Pulling the jeans and t-shirt from the closet, he set them on the bed and pulled open one of the drawers of the bureau to grab a pair of boxers and socks. At the sight of his boxer-briefs, Sam made herself scarce so he could dress in private. When he emerged from his room several minutes later, Sam looked at him and began to mentally drool. Pulling her mind out of the gutter, she asked what he wanted to do during the day. He expressed a desire to visit a national park and the closest one was Pike National Forest. He was dressed for a hike, with his boots on and his jeans, so Sam set the dining room table so they could eat before they left.

An hour later they had finished eating and doing the dishes, so they grabbed their jackets and set out for their outing.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Walking hand in hand, Sam and Narim both marveled at the sight of all the pine trees and waterfalls that they walked past. On Tolana there were no forests or parks and very few children. However, here on Earth, there were plenty of all. However, it was the sight of the children that amazed Narim the most. Noticing that he turned his head nearly every time he saw a child, Sam addressed this.

"Have you never seen children before you came to Earth?"

"On Tolana, couples have their union first and then have children. Some couples never have a union, they just remain common-law. That's why there are so few children on Tolana. I've always had a child like curiosity, in regard to knowledge and learning. I promised myself that if I ever had a union, I would like to have as many children as my partner would be willing to bear. That's another reason there are so few children on Tolana; some that have a union never have children. A child on Tolana is like a rare gift from the Heavens. They're cherished, treated royally and given the best life possible. Maybe that's why its mostly only the well to do have children; because they're so expensive. They have their education at the academy and from a very early age are groomed for their adult professions. For myself, I've been studying architecture and building since I was five years of age." he explained as they sat on some rocks beneath a waterfall

"It doesn't sound like there's very much population growth on Tolana." she replied

"That's true. Its actually a law. The curia has to be certain that a couple can afford to have and raise a child before they're given permission to have one. It may seem odd, but that's the way things are on Tolana. I've always wanted children but was not in a financial position to have any. Well, that and the fact that I was single and single people are not allowed to have children, no matter how much money they have. Every child on Tolana must have two parents and if one of the parents falls ill or passes away, the curia steps in and contributes to the upbringing of the child until the surviving parent marries again; which is highly encouraged." he explained further

"It seems as though your society is very well put together. However, here, on Earth, anyone can have a child. They don't need permission or anything like that. Though some couples are unable to have children. Usually its something to do with infertility of the father or mother. But there are agencies that allow people to adopt children. Like when there is an unplanned pregnancy or the mother or father is deemed unfit to raise a child, the child is placed in foster care until a suitable parent or couple is found to adopt the child. There are thousands of unwanted children just waiting for a good and stable home with loving parents." she explained

They walked for miles and when it began to get dark they turned round' and headed back to the car and home. When they arrived home it was kind of late and very dark out and both Narim and Sam were tired. In fact, they were so tired that they retired without eating supper. Sam changed into her sleep duds and Narim slipped into a pair of shorts and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. On his way to his room Sam caught him and asked him inside her room. Knowing that she wanted his company for sleeping, he came in, set the glass of water on the bedside table and climbed under the covers. He lay on his back, patted his chest and stretched out his arm to draw Sam to him. With her head on his chest, he drew lazy circles on her back with the tips of his fingers. Hearing a slight moan from her, he flattened out his hand and drew her even closer to him. They were face to face, now, and as Narim turned his head slightly to kiss her forehead, she gave his waist a little squeeze and slid up his side a bit so that their lips were mere inches apart. The sweet smell of her breath was almost intoxicating as he drew closer and closer to her and finally planted a full mouth kiss on her waiting lips. She eagerly obliged and returned the favour as she returned the passion with a kiss of her own as she ran her fingers through his hair. He cupped her cheek in his hand and with his free hand, nudged her on top of him so that she was straddling his stomach. She leaned in and with both hands she cupped his face and covered it with kisses. She trailed these kisses down his neck and chest, down his stomach and when she reached his ever growing manhood, she took it in her mouth and swirled her tongue around the rock hard shaft as she bobbed her head up and down while she created an amount of suction to intensify the effects of her ministrations. After several minutes of this, she crawled up the length of his body and inserted his major organ between her wet and waiting thighs and began to rock back and forth, establishing a rhythm. It was slow at first, but as the minutes passed by Narim was feeling more sure of himself and flipped her on her back and thrust himself into her, burying every inch of himself between her legs. As was the case with her, Narim started slowly, making sure the full length and breadth of his manhood was inside her, but after about fifteen minutes he quickened his pace and watched as Sam's neck and head thrashed from left to right. He was feeling a sensation he'd never felt before. It started in his head where he saw spots and then his breathing became more rapid as he pounded into her with a highly quickened pace and finally, when he thought he could take it no longer, he spilled himself into her and collapsed on top of her; spent. For herself, Sam had climaxed at nearly the same time as Narim, so that was very convenient. After a few moments of laying on top of her, Narim rolled off her and onto his back, trying to catch his breath.

Both of them on their backs, Sam thought that for a man who had never been with a woman before he certainly knew what he was doing when he took over. They lay there and after several minutes she turned to him and smiled.

"So, how was it? Did it feel good? Did you like it?" she asked

"Yes." was the only word he could muster

Truth be told, he had felt so many sensations that his body was overwhelmed as was his mind. He wondered if he had done the right thing, but it felt so right that he figured that it couldn't have been wrong. They fell asleep in each other's arms, dreaming sweet dreams of each other and didn't wake until late the following morning.


	5. Chapter 5

It was late in the morning when Sam and Narim woke up completely. During the night they'd made love two more times and finally, when they were both completely spent they passed out like two starfish, side by side. They were sleeping overlapped with Narim's legs over Sam's and her arms over his back. They both squinted as the sunlight crept through the blinds and shone on their faces. Pulling the covers up over her head, Sam covered Narim's head as well and snuggled up behind him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. It wasn't until much later in the morning that they managed to climb out of bed and take their showers. Sam went in first followed shortly thereafter by Narim. Sam had shampoo in her eyes and couldn't see him step into the shower, but she felt it when he started soaping her back and massaging her neck and shoulders. She thought this a bit odd as Narim was usually a composed and reserved person, but if he wanted to share a shower with her, then who was she to stop him? When they had finished their showers, Sam and Narim got dressed and decided to take the day slow and easy. There were no definitive plans; they'd just lounge around the house. 

While Narim was on the couch trying to find a sports channel Sam was checking her e-mail when she came across one from Jack. As she read through it she began to flush and her palms began to sweat as she thought about her response. Jack asked how Narim got back to Earth, how long he'd been there and if he intended to stay. Sam's response was short and sweet in that she would set up a meeting with herself, Narim, Daniel, General Hammond, Teal'c and him. The purpose of this meeting was to think of ways to keep Narim in the country and to get his papers as quickly as possible. The meeting would take place on the following movie night. After replying to Jack's e-mail, she sent out a blanket mail to Daniel, General Hammond and Teal'c. She explained the situation and gave the date and time of the meeting. After she sent out the mail, she was surprised to get an immediate response from both General Hammond and Daniel. Teal'c's response took a couple of days.

Teal'c was still on Earth, working for an off-shoot branch of the SGC teaching military troops about the Replicator and Goa'uld threat that still loomed over their heads. His son was on Earth as well and they were living in Colorado Springs while Daniel and General Hammond were in Washington, DC. However, they both said that they'd make the meeting as they both liked Narim and were glad that Sam had finally found happiness.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The week passed by with a quickness that surprised Sam, and before she knew it, it was movie day and Daniel and General Hammond arrived together while Teal'c arrived alone. Jack had been there most of the day and when everyone had arrived they sat down at the dining room table. Daniel suggested that Narim take on a position as his research assistant. Hammond and Teal'c thought this was a good idea. In typical Jack fashion, he just sat there with a blank look on his face. Daniel turned to Narim and smiled.

"How are you at research and translation?" he asked

"Well, I love research and I could learn to translate. I'm a very quick study. I believe that I could be of great benefit to you and your professional institution. Would I have to move to Washington?"

"No. You could do your job from here and with my many government contacts, I could have you legal in a matter of months. In the mean time, I'll mail you some materials that will help you in learning to translate. Most Earth based words can be tracked back to their Latin origins, but I'll also send you materials on off-world languages, some of which are also based on Latin. You'll have to learn fast; word is that the SGC might be making a comeback and the programme reinstated at Cheyenne Mountain. That would mean that gate travel would resume, what with the threats still out there." he explained

"Yeah, I had a visit from Thor the other night while watching a hockey game. He said that the Replicator threat was still present and that some new System Lords have popped up and are making war in the universe. Plus there's a whole different threat from what Thor calls the Changelings. Apparently they can take the shape of anyone they've either come in contact with or seen. Thor says that they're ravaging the galaxy from one end to the other." Jack explained

"I've been asked to come out of retirement as has Jack. We're set to come back here within the month." said Hammond

"Yes, and with that, I'll be returning as well, so little will change. Theoretically, you can come and go as you please, between here and Tolana." Daniel said

"There's nothing on Tolana for me. My place is here." Narim said sternly

"Then its settled. When I get back to Washington, I'll send the materials right away." Daniel said

When the meeting was over they ordered take-out and shared dinner as they talked about how Narim would benefit the SGC by sharing Tolan technology, most of all, the ion cannons and phase technology. Narim was reluctant at first hearing of what he needed to contribute to the SGC, but soon came around. He had enough faith that the human race wouldn't use the technology against each other and soon enough would give the information freely by means of a series of sketches of the inner workings of the cannons and the physics behind the phase technology.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sam's vacation time was over and while she was at work Narim was at the house pouring over the books that Daniel had sent him and working on some minor translations as exercises. He truly was a quick study and when it came time for the SGC to resume business Narim was ready. In one month he'd learned to translate Ancient, Goa'uld, Asgard and a host of other languages.

General Hammond was reinstated as commanding officer of the SGC and Jack, while keeping his rank, resumed his place as leader of SG-1. The team came back together with Daniel, Sam, Teal'c and Jack. For the first few missions Narim stayed at the SGC translating for Daniel, but when the fifth mission came, he accompanied SG-1. The M.A.L.P. had arrived in a temple of sorts with strange writings on the walls. While Daniel and Narim worked on the translations the rest of the team did a sweep of the area. Sam liked having Narim on missions with her, as she could barely stand to be apart from him. While on patrol, she thought about his offer of marriage when suddenly a Goa'uld Alkesh buzzed the gate and began to fire on the team. With Daniel and Narim still in the temple, they could hear the blasts outside and Daniel radioed Jack.

"Jack, what's going on?" he asked

"An Alkesh just buzzed the gate and started firing on us." he said as he ran for cover

Hearing this, Narim pulled out his digital camera and Daniel began to film the walls in a desperate effort to capture the inscriptions on the walls. Narim did the same with his camera and as they were snapping photos and such, Jack, Sam and Teal'c came running inside and Sam dialed the gate and sent the IDC. They made it back through the gate in record time and once they had returned to Earth Daniel and Narim began trying to translate the photos and footage before the briefing.

An hour later, in the briefing room, they all sat around the table as Daniel showed the footage of the temple inscriptions.

"We got as much footage as we could before the Alkesh attacked and this is what we came up with. Its Ancient and speaks of another repository on another planet, and on that planet it is suggested that there is a weapon, an actual weapon, of great power that will help us with the Goa'uld. Now this section of text mentions a planet rich with life and says "behind the wall of water and through the cavern of stone, lies beneath the mechanism of salvation for the oppressed." Now, this would indicate that there is an actual means of defense against the Goa'uld." he said, as he pointed to the tellie screen

"Great, now all we have to do is decipher the rest of the text and maybe that'll give us a location of this illusive planet." Jack said sarcastically

"I believe I've already figured that out." Narim said, standing up

He walked to the slide projector and asked Jack to pull the screen down.

"This section of the temple mentions a planet called Kheb. We know that's where Shifu was hidden when he was an infant. It goes on to say that the planet in question is one past." he said as he flipped to the next slide

The next slide showed the area of the galaxy that Kheb was and Narim pointed to the large, circled dot past Kheb.

"I'm convinced that this is the planet we're looking for. The problem is that we don't know the address or if there is a gate on this planet.' Narim said

"We still have that time machine. We can set the gate coordinates for Kheb, fly through the gate to Kheb and once there we can fly into space and determine where the next, closest planet is, and that will most probably be where we need to be." Sam said

Returning to his seat beside Daniel, Narim set down the control and looked at General Hammond for approval. Sitting back in his chair, the General thought about everything he'd seen and decided to give it a go.

"You have a go. You leave tomorrow morning at 06:00hrs. Get some sleep and we'll see each other tomorrow." Hammond said

Daniel and Narim got up and went back to his office while Sam, Jack and Teal'c went to the mess hall.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was getting late and as Sam went to Daniel's office to get Narim, she passed Jack in the corridor. They stopped and smiled at each other.

"So, how do you think Narim is fitting in?" he asked

"I think he's doing just fine. He's making real progress with Daniel on the translations. I think they've got most of it done." she replied

"I think he and Daniel were twins in a past life. They're too much alike." Jack said

"Well, either way, he's doing just fine. Even Hammond thinks so."

They parted ways and Sam proceeded to Daniel's office only to see the both of them with their collective noses buried in books. She took a moment to look at them and then she let out a little laugh.

"Having fun, are we?" she asked

They both looked up at the same time with blank expressions on their faces. Daniel set his book down while Narim looked back at his book while he read and took notes at the same time. He could also read upside down and backwards while taking notes. This gave all new meaning to the term multitasking as he answered Sam.

"Are you ready to go home, Narim?" she asked

"I thought I'd stay here and finish these translations so we have as much done as we possibly can by tomorrows trip. I'll just sleep in one of the VIP rooms." he replied

This didn't please Sam in the least, but what could she do? On the one hand, she was glad to see that Narim seemed to be enjoying his new job, but on the other hand she'd no doubt miss him in bed that night. She left them to their business and went home alone.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the next morning , Daniel and Narim had been up all night working and when it came time to leave, they made sure they had their translations and other reference materials as well as their journals to write down anything of importance. When it came time to suit up, Daniel and Narim went to the locker room and got into their standard green BDUs and vests as well as their weapons. While Daniel had a 9mm Beretta 92R and a zat,  
Narim was given only a zat. He hated the thought of carrying a weapon and the prospect of using it, but given his last off-world trip, he figured he'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  
Everyone assembled in the gate room at 06:00hrs and the wormhole was established. As they all piled into the ship and passed through the gate, Narim had a bad feeling about this trip.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Rematerializing on the other side of the gate, they immediately headed for the upper atmosphere, hoping that they'd be able to see the planet they were looking for. In the cold of space, within the ship, Jack set the sensors and a translucent screen appeared and showed a planet not too far away. Jack piloted the ship towards the planet while everyone else sat back and waited. Entering the upper ionosphere, they made a descent towards the surface of the planet and landed in a grassy meadow not too far from a tree line of pines. They exited the craft and took defensive positions around the rear exit of the craft. One by one, they emerged and looked around and spotted a gate about 300yds from the ship. Daniel immediately went to the DHD and took a photo of the symbols so that they'd have a record of it for future reference.

There was an eerie sort of silence as the team walked through the woods; that is until they heard the sound of running water. They followed the sound until they came to a stream which they followed for a couple of miles to where it ended in a steep drop off; a waterfall. They climbed down the side of the waterfall and when they reached the bottom they all turned and looked to find a waterfall. However, there was no way to gain access to what may lay behind the curtain of water without getting soaking wet. After a few minutes of thinking, the solution was obvious; they were going for a swim. As they all slowly entered the pool of water, they could see what looked like symbiotes swimming around in the pool. They all swam as fast as they could and soon enough they were underneath and behind the waterfall. There was a sort of carved out tunnel that they followed until they were standing in a large cavernous room. On the walls of the cavern were glyphs similar to the ones in the temple that Daniel and Narim translated. They pulled out their notebooks and attempted to translate the dialogue on the walls.

"Any luck yet?" Jack asked, sarcastically

"If we'd had any luck, don't you think you'd be the first to know?" Daniel snapped back

"Just checking." Jack replied

Walking across the large room and shining his light on the floor, Narim came to a wall and shone his light up so that there was light at eye level. He saw a symbol and looked through his book and when he found the unique symbol, he drew the same exact symbol on the wall beside the carved one. Immediately, a sort of trapped door opened just inches from where he stood. He shined his light down the opening and there were stairs leading to an underground room. Shining his light on Jack, Narim motioned to the underground chamber. Jack, Teal'c, Sam and Daniel followed Narim down the stairs into another room where they found what looked like the device that the team had found years before when they met Ma'chello. The device that switched the consciousness of Daniel and Ma'chello. However, when they opened up the case they found nearly one thousand capsules filled with a translucent green chemical. Within each capsule there were about a dozen smaller spheres that contained a red liquid. Daniel carefully picked up one of the capsules and looked at it closely. The green liquid looked like a suspension fluid to keep the smaller spheres from clashing against each other. Jack and Teal'c closed the lid on the case and transported it back to the gate.

As they reached the tree line they encountered heavy resistance from some Jaffa and an Alkesh, along with some gliders. Teal'c and Jack fired on the gate guards with the staff weapon and a zat and as soon as the coast was clear, Teal'c, Jack and Narim carried the case through the gate and back to the SGC where everything could be analyzed in a contained environment. They all went to the infirmary for the standard post mission check-up and after that Sam began her tests on the substance in the spheres. In one of the isolation rooms, Sam placed one of the spheres in what looked like an incubator, drilled a small hole through the casing and removed some of the fluid using a syringe. She placed it on a slide and then under a microscope for further analyzation.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

In Daniel's lab, he and Narim were working on the translations from the cavern and the case they found within it. The markings were easy enough to decipher since they had already translated a sizable amount of text from the temple. Narim worked on one side of the case while Daniel worked on the other side. Apparently, the liquid was meant to be used as an aerosol and once in the air, spread like a swarm of locusts, destroying anything or anyone with a symbiote. This was good, but it was also bad. This was a pathogen that had no sense of good symbiote or bad symbiote, it just destroyed any Goa'uld it came in contact with.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

In Daniel's lab, he and Narim were still working on the box when Daniel looked down at his watch and took note of the time; 13:00hrs. Getting up from his stool, Daniel clapped Narim on the shoulder and grinned.

"Come on. Let's get something to eat. I think its Mexican today." he said

Getting up from his own stool, Narim followed Daniel down to the mess hall and as they sat and ate lunch, they discussed the translations on the case.

"The translations from my side of the box essentially read that you'd better be sure you want to use the weapon before you arm it. I asked myself how one would arm the sphere and that's when the script went on to explain how to do it. Its like a grenade, except you shake it and then hurl it, instead of pulling some pin.  
Its not a matter of the sphere being jostled about, you have to shake it four times with four second intervals before you throw it. That way if they're being carried in a vest or case, they won't break. However , when they DO shatter, the liquid immediately turn into an aerosol and is carried by the wind, killing all Goa'uld within seconds of contact." Narim explained

"So you're saying that these little balls are like biological weaponry hand grenades?" Daniel said

"That's exactly what I'm saying. However, there's an up-side to this. When the case is empty it will create more; like a never ending supply." Narim went on

"Well, my side just speaks of the ones that created the weapons; their origins, their reasons for creating the weapons and their efficacy rates." Daniel replied

"If these really work, they'd be a real threat to the Goa'uld. We'd just have to figure out a delivery system of some sort. Be it via Stargate or a willing Jaffa. A Jaffa willing to die for the cause." Narim theorized

When they had finished eating they returned to Daniel's lab and continued to translate as much as was left on the case to translate. When they were done, they decided to pay Sam a visit in the observation room above the isolation room. Bringing the microphone to his mouth, Daniel coughed. Sam turned round' and looked up at he and Narim.

"Any news?" Daniel asked

"Not as of yet. I don't believe we'll be able to find out if these things really work unless we get a Goa'uld or send it through the gate to a known Goa'uld occupied planet. Got any in mind?" she asked

"How bout' P3X-888. The Unas there aren't hosts and there's that big lake with all the symbiotes swimming around. We could try it there." Daniel suggested

"Sounds like a plan. Let me talk to Hammond about it." she said as she stood up from her stool

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

06:00hrs and the team had assembled in the gate room, ready to leave for the planet in question. This time Narim had been given an actual gun in addition to his zat. He had passed his proficiency test with an Earth based weapon. He had to learn how to take it apart, clean it and put it back together before he would be allowed to carry it. Jack was the last to enter the gate room and as the gate opened up they all walked up the ramp and were instantly transported to P3X-888. They followed the trail to the lake and once there Daniel pulled out one of the little spheres and shook it according to the instructions on the case. He smashed it on the bank of the lake and within seconds the symbiotes float to the surface. Within minutes the whole of the surface of the lake was covered with dead symbiotes. They all looked at each other and Jack let out a great "Hah. Take that!" as he looked from one team member to the other. They all had looks of satisfaction on their faces; even Narim. However, his expression was more one of curiosity than satisfaction. He approached the bank and with a stick he picked up, he nudged one of the floaters towards him until it was on the sand of the bank. Carefully, he knelt down and poked it a few times. Certain that the parasite was dead, he picked it up and looked at it closer. Sam was not too keen on this, but Daniel approached Narim and they both scrutinized the dead "body". They took a collection of dead symbiotes with them in a large Thermos type container and returned to the gate only to find that it was now guarded by a small contingent of Jaffa. They all scattered to both sides of the path under cover of foliage and thick brush. They lay low and watched as four Jaffa walked right by them, heading in the direction of the lake. They were carrying medium sized vessels that were empty and when they came back about half an hour later the vessels were full. They could all see the swimming symbiotes and there were a lot of them; four containers worth. The team lay in the brush until the Jaffa left and went back through the gate. Getting up from their positions, they all crept down the path to the gate and dialed home.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When they arrived back, the symbiotes were immediately taken to the isolation room lab where Sam and Daniel dissected it. They were fascinated by the biology of it and since this was the first time they had a real specimen to work with, it was a rare occasion.

Narim was in Daniel's lab furthering his knowledge by looking through some of Daniel's books, journals, tapes, drawings and other documentation of alien and Earth based languages. Currently he had his nose buried in a journal on how to speak Goa'uld that Daniel had written down years before, when he first joined the SGC and notes he'd made through the years. This journal was proving to be quite useful as Narim took notes of his own and even wrote a note to Daniel in Goa'uld in an attempt to show him that even though he was the new guy on the team, he was still in the process of learning. He hadn't given up his studies once he got on the team. To him, his education was more important than the missions; his thinking that the more he knew about the various languages, the more he could contribute while on mission.

The day went by slow after they returned and as everyone did their "thing", Narim was in conference with General Hammond. They were discussing his transition from book worm to being the fifth member of SG-1. Even though he'd only been on a couple of missions, the reports that Hammond read had glowing reports of Narim and his presence and contributions to the missions. Hammond sat back in his chair and looked at Narim, who was seated across from him.

"So, how are you liking your time with the team?" the General asked

"I'm liking it very much. I feel that I'm learning a great deal and I contribute when and where I can. I think its good that the team has an archaeologist and now, a linguist. I feel that I'm benefiting the team; or at least I hope I am." He replied

"Well, I've heard nothing but good things about you and your work, so you've got nothing to worry about. I was just wondering how you're liking it here on Earth. How are you liking your job?" Hammond asked

"I'm liking the time that I've been spending with the rest of the team; especially Samantha. Its no secret that we're living together and I really appreciate all that everyone has done for me in keeping me here on Earth and the effort being put forth in getting me legal. I assume that since I have a government job it'll be easier for me to become a citizen." He explained

"Well, that's also what I wanted to talk to you about. I have here, a presidential approval for you. As of 06:00hrs this morning, you are United States citizen. You are now completely legal. I called the president and explained your situation to him and he drew up this letter and faxed it to me. He had his secretary fax another copy of it to immigration and I just got a call from the president saying that everything is in order and that you have nothing to worry about." Hammond explained

He stood up and walked over to Narim who had stood up as well and extended his hand to Narim and congratulated him by shaking his hand.

"Welcome to the United States and we're glad to have you as a most valuable citizen."

After a few moments, Narim left Hammond's office and headed to the isolation lab and wrapped his strong arms around Sam and laughed. Sam reciprocated and turned around and looked at him.

"What's got you so giddy?" she asked

"I'm legal. Hammond called the president and now I'm legal. I'm a U.S. citizen." He said

They both hugged again and when Jack walked into the room he saw them and enquired.

"What's goin' on, here?"

"Narim is legal." Sam said

"Well, that's great. But we've got a new mission for tomorrow, so I'm calling it quits for the day. You two might want to do the same. Rumour has it that there's another repository on the planet. SG-6 just came back and said they saw one. Since I'm the only one that knows how to deal with the experience, that means that we'd better alert the Asgard and I'd better get a good night's rest because I can never sleep when I go Ancient. See you guys later." Jack said as he waved goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

It was 04:30hrs when Sam and Narim woke up and crawled out of bed. It was kind of cold out, so as they bundled up and left the house all they could think about was the warmth of the base. 

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the time everyone was ready to depart it was 06:00hrs, and they were eager to leave. The M.A.L.P. had just been sent through and the images being sent back were encouraging. It looked as if no one had been there in a long while. There were no signs of foot traffic or recent activity in the immediate area. When they were given the go ahead to proceed, they all went through the gate and on the other side was a wilderness full of trees, tall grass and more types of flora than they could count. They all headed away from the gate and into the woods.

After about an hour of bushwhacking they came upon some temple ruins that were in pretty bad shape. They looked like they would come crashing down if someone even so much as looked at them wrong. Entering the ruins themselves, the team kind of scattered and took a look at the place. In the room that Narim was in there were writings on the walls and as he took a few steps closer to the wall an Ancient wall device appeared, reached out and grabbed Narim's head and held it while the device downloaded it's contents into Narim's brain. As quickly as it had appeared, it let go of his head and Narim fell to the floor; unconscious. It was Daniel that found him and shouted for everyone else to join him. Jack was the first to arrive and when he saw Narim on the ground he couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, it had to happen to someone else at some point." He said, trying to muffle his laughter

Sam was not amused, as she stood in the doorway. She rushed to Narim's side and rested his head in her lap.

He and Daniel picked Narim up and dragged him from the ruins to the gate. Teal'c dialed the DHD and sent their IDC just prior to their passing through the gate. Once on the other side Jack called out for a medic as he and Daniel lay Narim down on the ramp. Moments later Narim was wheeled to the infirmary where he was given a CAT Scan that only confirmed the team's suspicions. Narim regained consciousness to find himself on a gurney with the rest of the team looking down at him. After about an hour Narim was allowed to leave and resume his duties.

As Jack was the only other person to have the repository in his head, he enlightened Narim as to what he would expect. This troubled Narim a great deal and for the rest of the day it was like he was walking around in a haze, but otherwise he was fine; just distracted. Sam made it a point to spend as much time with him as she could. She had just gotten Narim back, she wasn't about to lose him again to an Ancient device.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It had been a couple of days since Narim's encounter with the Ancient device and he was fine. He could read Ancient fluently, but other than that there was nothing out of the ordinary. As he sat in Daniel's lab he worked furiously fast at translating everything in Ancient that Daniel hadn't deciphered yet. Just inside the doorway, Jack leaned against the jamb and asked Narim how he was doing.

"Well, I can read and write Ancient, but that's about it." He replied

"When I was in your position I was speaking Ancient and little else by now. You're saying that the knowledge hasn't taken over yet?" Jack asked

"Well, I can read it and speak it, but my other brain functions have yet to be effected and I don't have a headache. Really, I feel fine. Actually, I feel great." He said

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It had been a week since Narim's run in with the repository and he was still fine. Hammond was concerned, so he ordered another scan. The results were astounding. Looking at the monitor that showed Narim's brain scan revealed that he was using about 90 of his brain, but with no ill effects. Narim said he felt fine and since he wasn't acting odd in any way, he was sent back to work. Jack was jealous of this fact. So much so that when he found Narim in the mess hall eating lunch, he sat across from him and hassled him with questions and comments.

"Last time this happened to me, by this time I was essentially a vegetable. But you seem to be doing fine. Maybe its your cranial capacity. I mean, you're humanoid, but not quite human. Your brain might be capable of retaining all that knowledge for an infinite period of time. Hell, for all we know, you could keep this info forever with no damage to the rest of your brain chemistry. You're a lucky man; in more ways than one." He said

"Meaning?" Narim asked quizzically

"Well, you've got Carter, who is a beautiful and brilliant woman and you've got the Ancient library floating around in your head." He explained

"Well, I suppose I'd have to agree with you on both points." Narim replied

After a brief pause, Narim looked hard at Jack's face and saw what he was trying to say.

"You have feelings for Samantha? Feelings that your rank and service prevent you from acting on. You've had these feelings for quite some time I take it?"

"Well, yeah, in a way. But to see her now, with you; I'm glad she's happy and it couldn't have been a better man to please her. I'm happy for you both, I mean that." he said as he stood up and patted Narim on the back

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Back at home, Narim and Sam were enjoying Narim's first venture into cooking when she asked him how he was feeling. She was surprised that he hadn't been exhibiting any abnormal behaviour with his brain filled with all that Ancient info. She explained that with Jack the way he was after his last encounter with the Ancient device, he nearly died. She was glad to see that he was well. However, there was one side effect, if you could call it a side effect, his sex drive had increased. They had been making love almost every night and sometimes in the middle of the night. It was like he couldn't get enough; it was almost like he'd become addicted. Not that she was complaining; the sex was great. She never refused him and he was always gentle when initiating. However, she knew something that he didn't; she was late. She didn't know how to tell him and she didn't know what his reaction would be. All she knew was that she was pregnant, unmarried and had a very dangerous job. She wondered when a good time to tell him would be but decided to see an OBGYN first.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

One week later Sam sat in the waiting room of her OBGYN. She decided not to use the base hospital facilities because she didn't want her condition to slip out; then everyone would know. This way no one would know and she could wait until the time was right. When her name was called Sam got up and followed the tech into a procedure room and removed her shirt; replacing it with one of those paper gowns. As she sat and waited for the doctor to show up, she wondered if she was going to have a boy or a girl. Personally, she hoped for a boy and thought that Narim would like to have a son. After about ten minutes her doctor walked in, followed by a female tech and a sonogram machine. Doing as she was told, Sam lay back on the table and as the cold gelatin was applied to her stomach, she watched the screen as the image came up. After a few moments of watching the screen,  
she noticed that the doctor's expression changed.

"What's the matter?" she asked

"Well, nothing, really. How much room do you have in your house?" he asked

"I've got a guest room, but its not occupied." She replied

"Well, that"s good. You're having twins. Not only that, but they're boys and by the size of them and development, I'd say that you're at the end of your first trimester." He explained

This was a shock to her because, by her math, she was only a few weeks late. Obviously there had to be a difference in gestational periods between humans and the Tolans. With this new information, she figured that she would deliver in 3 to 5 months. She decided that she'd tell Narim that night.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sam had taken the rest of the day off and spent it at home trying to decide how and when she'd break the news to Narim. She cooked his favourite meal and just as they finished supper she took him aside and told him. They were at the sink, doing dishes, when she did it.

"Narim, I have something very important to tell you." She started

"I know." He replied simply

"What do you know?" she asked

"You're with child and you're due to deliver in 4 or 5 months." He said

"How'd you know?"

"I could tell. Your uniform is a bit tight and given the gestational period of our people, you'll deliver early. We Tolans only have a gestational period of 6 months. So, I mixed a little math and came up with a guesstimation. Is it a boy or girl?" he asked

"Its twins and they're boys." She said simply

"I have to tell you that our people, our race, develop faster than others. We grow faster and we develop mentally, a lot faster. By the time they're a year old, they'll be the size of a three year old and as smart as a five year old. However, given that this is a mixed race child, there's really no telling. I'm just telling you how we grow and develop." He said

"So, there might be a difference between human births and Tolan births. How do the deliveries go? Are they incredibly painful or are the easy? Here, on Earth, some deliveries are excruciatingly painful and mothers need what's called an epidural. it's a tap into the spinal column and it is supposed to numb you from the waist down. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I know a woman that had to have three of them and by the time the epidural finally took effect the delivery was over." she said

"Sounds like quite an ordeal. However, Tolan births are usually quick and not nearly as painful. Though the babies are large, the body of the mother compensates. The birth canal expands more than usual and the baby just kind of slides out." he explained

"Oh, if only all births could be that easy." she replied

"However, since this is a mixed species child, there's no telling how the birth will be." he replied

After a few moments, Sam's red flag went up.

"I have to ask you not to tell anyone until I'm ready for people to know. If they found out now, I'd have no more off-world missions and if I'm stuck in the lab all day I'd go nuts. Just trust my judgment, ok?" she begged

"Ok, but people will notice soon, so that lab time is rapidly approaching. I give it two months before your situation becomes obvious." he said

They left the conversation at that and spoke no more of it for the duration of the evening. The rest of the evening was spent cuddling on the couch, watching A&E. There was a special on Jack the Ripper and by the look on his face, Narim was quite intrigued. When the first show was over there was a biography on the same man. When that show had ended Narim turned to Sam and just gave a confused look.

"How can they do a biography on someone when they're not even sure who Jack the Ripper was. He could have been anyone. He could have been the royal or he could have just been some seriously disturbed individual on a homicidal rampage. There's really no telling. Its really amazing how far theory and conjecture can go. I've read that there have been more books written about Jack the Ripper than on anybody else in the world or in history; except for maybe, the Bible or Stephen King." he theorized

"Well, that's quite enough of this sort of programming for one evening. I'm off to bed. You going to join me?" Sam said

"Yeah, I think I will." he said

They both got up and walked to the bedroom and got dressed for bed. They climbed under the covers and snuggled up against each other and within half an hour they were both asleep. It wasn't until 03:00hrs, when the phone rang that Sam woke up. Slamming her hand down on the cordless handset, Sam managed to knock it to the floor and her curses and groans could be heard by both Narim and the person who had called. She finally got the phone in her hand and lifted it to her ear only to hear Daniel on the other end asking for Narim. Sam rolled over and set the phone on his chest and told him who it was. Narim sat up in bed and had a brief, but very serious conversation with Daniel. When he was done, he climbed from bed, got dressed and told Sam that he had to go in at once. Sam was a bit puzzled, but if he had to go in, then he had to go in. As he didn't have his driver's permit yet, that meant that Sam had to drive him in.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

They were met at the elevator by a very anxious Daniel who had his arms full of books. Seeing this, Narim shared the load and took some of the books from Daniel. The two of them went to Daniel's office where they poured over the contents of the books as Daniel explained.

"I was in here, going over some Ancient translations, and sorry to say, I think I may have gotten some of them wrong. What does this say to you?" Daniel asked, handing Narim a sheet of paper

Looking it over for a moment, Narim had the correct translation. As he read it to Daniel, he was surprised.

"Well, the translation actually says that there's another repository on a planet that you've already visited. Let me take this ' and go through the records of your past gate travels and see if I can't find it. Its called Normanna, but you've probably assigned an alpha numeric designation to it. This might take some time, but I'll work as fast and accurately as I can." he said, leaving the office and heading for the control room to look over the vast list of planets they've visited over the past several years; and there were quite a few. There had to be at least a couple or few hundred planets that they'd visited, so many so that it was like looking for a needle in the proverbial haystack.

After hours and hours of searching the base record logs of planets and mission reports, Narim thought he found the planet in question. Indeed, it had been assigned an alpha numeric designation, but Narim saw past that and read the corresponding mission report. Immediately, he got up and rushed back to Daniel's lab. He wasn't surprised that he hadn't seen Sam in several hours; she was most likely asleep in one of the VIP rooms. He went on about his business and when he arrived back at Daniel's office, he found him asleep with his face in a book and he was drooling heavily. As quietly as he could, Narim brought his new information and set it beside Daniel and left.

He found Sam in one of the VIP rooms and since the hour was still early yet, he decided to join her in catching a few winks, as they weren't scheduled to go off-world until later that morning. Removing his boots and climbing in bed beside her, Narim draped his arm around her waist and was gratified to hear a slight moan coming from her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

There was a knock on the door which neither of them heard, so Teal'c slowly opened the door and entered the room to wake the sleeping pair. Looking down on them, he raised an eyebrow and bellowed out in his usual tone.

"Colonel Carter, Mr. Narim; its time to wake up. We are due to report in the conference room in five minutes. I suggest you put on your uniforms and report at once." he said sternly

Teal'c gave a slight bow, turned on his heel and left the room as quietly as he had entered and closed the door gently behind himself. Sam and Narim climbed from the bed and walked down to the locker room where they changed into their uniforms. By the time they arrived in the briefing room their jackets were unzipped, their laces were undone and they were both fastening their belts. Seeing the two of them in this disheveled state, Jack just gave a smirk and General Hammond, a disapproving look. As they sat in their seats, the two of them tied up their laces and pulled up to the table. They opened the mission files in front of them and skimmed over them. The files had the gate coordinates to the planet that Narim had located earlier that morning along with the results of the M.A.L.P. transmissions.

For the next hour or so they all sat around the table and discussed the mission before them. They were to leave in an hour for the planet designated P3X-774; the Nox home world. When the time came for them to leave everyone was geared up and ready to go. They used the Puddle-jumper to get there. Everyone climbed in and this time it was Narim that piloted the craft, as he was the one with the knowledge in his head. He sat at the controls and when the gate opened, they flew right through. On the other side, they landed in a meadow and as Narim gently set the craft down. They exited the craft one by one and when they were all out they were greeted by Laia. Apparently, they hadn't closed the gate as everyone had thought. She was surprised to see Narim and greeted him.

"Hello, friends. Narim. Greetings once more." she said sweetly

As she approached Narim, she smiled.

"Narim. I'm glad to see you've found your friends. You look well. Where do your travels take you today?" she asked

"We're just looking around. You don't have any ruins around here, do you?" Jack asked

"There are some ruins on the Southern continent. However, it'd be a difficult journey. I see you have a craft, though. That might expedite things. You are free to search for so long as you wish." she replied

They climbed in the craft and set out for the Southern continent. After about an hour of flying around they saw some ruins and landed beside them. Once again, they exited the craft and set out to explore the ruins. As before, they split up and explored the area. And as before, Narim found himself in a most precarious position. At present, his head was being grasped by the Ancient device, but this time Daniel walked in just as Narim dropped to the floor. He shouted again and the rest of the team came running. This was unprecedented, as no one had ever had two Ancient devices downloaded into their brains. This time,  
Narim got up on his own and had no need for help with walking or standing. For all intents and purposes he was fine. He looked around and saw everyone staring at him. A bit puzzled, Narim asked what the matter was.

"What's the matter?"

"You've been mind sucked again. How do you feel?" he asked

"I feel fine. I feel great." he replied


	7. Chapter 7

By the time they reached the puddle-jumper Narim was beginning to get a headache. He'd never had one before and to be honest it was scaring him. His head was throbbing, he couldn't think straight and his eyes hurt. To him it felt as if his head were about to explode, so he sat down and let Jack pilot the craft back through the gate. 

When they returned back, Narim was taken immediately to the infirmary for a CAT scan; the results were staggering. Apparently Narim was using 100 of his brain and then some. He was in a most uncomfortable position and this prompted Jack to contact the Asgard and wait for a response.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It had been a week since Jack had summoned the Asgard and when one of them appeared it was when Jack was at home drinking a beer and watching a hockey game. He was in mid-sip when Thor appeared.

"Greetings, O'Neill. It has been a while. How can I help you?" he asked

"Well, one of my team has the Ancient library in his head; twice over. He's in a lot of pain right now. We were wondering if you could work your magic and get it out of his head." Jack explained

In the flash of an instant, Jack and Thor were transported to the base and appeared in the infirmary. Narim was on a gurney with electrodes hooked up to his head and a heart monitor, both of which were spitting out some disturbing results. His heart rate was elevated to a near dangerous level and his brainwave activity was off the chart. Thor approached Narim and placed his hand on his forehead. There was a bright glow for a few seconds and then Thor removed his hand from Narim. Once that was done, Narim was given another CAT scan which revealed that he was back to his previous state, meaning before his second encounter with the device. Seeing this, Jack enquired.

"What's this? You couldn't get all the info out?"

"The previous download has been in his mind for too long a time for it to be removed. It has become ingrained in his brain matter. I cannot remove it. Prior to his second experience had he been suffering from headache or any ill effects?" he asked

"None. I felt fine." Narim said

"I'm glad to hear it. How do you feel now?" he asked

"I feel fine. My head doesn't hurt anymore. So, you're saying that the information from the first repository can't be removed?" Narim asked

"That is correct. It has incorporated itself into your higher brain functions and would be impossible to differentiate the Ancient knowledge from your normal knowledge. If we tried to separate the two, you could die. If you have the information now and are not feeling ill, it is advisable to leave things the way they are, rather than the possibility of suffering brain damage." Thor said

"Well, if its not broken, don't fix it. That's how it goes, right?" Narim said

"That's right." Jack replied

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After being given a relatively clean bill of health, Narim returned to Daniel's lab and pulled a stool up to the table. He sat on it and reflected on recent events. His head in his hands, he thought about how he nearly died and that it would be unacceptable for Sam to give birth and her children not to have a father; the thought of this was unbearable to him. He sat like that for a good hour before Daniel came in and saw him and became concerned.

"What's the matter, got a headache?" he asked

"No, I was just thinking about all of what just happened." he replied

"Oh, ok. Just checking."

Trying to change the topic, Narim asked of their next mission, to which Daniel had no answer. There was so much running through his head and he was helpless to prevent anything happening. It was right there and then that Narim decided to ask Sam to marry him. He was fairly certain that she would accept his proposal and they could be wed and live as a real family.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sitting at the dinner table, Sam could tell that something was weighing heavily on Narim's mind and she was curious to know. She thought she had a fairly good idea, but hey, you never know until you ask, right?

"What's the problem, Narim?" she asked

"Not a problem, but a quandary. I have a question to ask, but I am unsure what your response will be and that's what troubles me." he replied

"Go ahead and ask. There's no harm in asking."

Narim got up and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jeweler's box. He approached her and took to one knee. He opened the box and within it was the ring that he had brought with him from Tolana. It was his mother's ring and when she had given it to him she told him to present it to the woman that captures heart, gives his life meaning and without whom he could not imagine living his life without. It just so happened that this woman was Sam. As she looked at the ring she saw how beautiful it was. It was gold and inlaid with brilliantly purple and blue stones. She took it from the box and looked at it \ more closely as Narim spoke.

"Samantha, since the moment I first laid eyes on you I could think of little else. I try to imagine my life without you and shudder to think of being alone. You give me life, but more important; you give me a reason to live. Before, I was merely existing, but with you, I live. I want to share my life and love with you. Will you have me? Will you live with me and love me as I love you? Will you spend the rest of your life with me so that we may live out the rest of our days in bliss and harmony?" he asked wholeheartedly

There was no hesitation in her reply.

"Yes, I will."

Narim leaned forward and rested his head in her lap while wrapping his arms around her waist. She set the ring down and began to run her fingers through his hair. After a few moments, she stopped and he lifted his head for her to see a lone tear escape his eye. She cupped his cheek and smiled down at him.

"Hey, hey. There's no reason to cry." she said

He took a moment to compose himself.

"I cry because I'm so happy. Happy to be with you and happy that you love me enough to commit the rest of your life to me, and I you." he replied

Narim stood and took Sam's hand, leading her into the bedroom where they made love like they never had before. This time it was slow and gentle with kisses and caresses, not like some of the other times where Sam would grab hold of his back and dug her fingernails in, left scratch marks or bite marks. This was slow and sensual; worthy of being written down in her diary. This time Narim was wearing the emotion device because he wanted to remember and he wanted Sam to remember.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

06:00hrs and as everyone sat in the briefing room, they were going over the day's mission to P3X-382. The M.A.L.P. had shown that the planet was lush with life and there was no sign of any foot traffic anywhere the gate. As the camera on the M.A.L.P. panned around all they could see was forest to the East, North and South, but in the West there was a large body of water that looked like an ocean with waves crashing on the shore. As the pan continued a figure appeared. It looked like a cross between a Nox and an Asgard. The being seemed harmless enough as it looked closer at the camera lens and smiled. As the M.A.L.P. began to back away, the creature seemingly got scared and scurried away.

Sitting at the table, watching all of this, the team laughed as the creature scampered away like a squirrel, running from left to right in a crazed manner. Even General Hammond gave a little laugh. They turned off the tellie and directed their attention to the mission files that lay on the table in front of them. Opening the folder, Sam briefly read through and closed the folder.

"This planet looks like a paradise. All I'd need would be a beach towel and one of those drinks in a coconut with a little pink umbrella in it." Jack said

"Well, this is your mission for today. Go to the planet, gather samples of vegetation, and see if there's anyone else around that we might make peaceful contact with. You leave in one hour." Hammond said

They all got up and went to the locker room to suit up and then to the armory to sign out their weapons. They arrived en masse in the gate room at 07:00hrs and as the gate opened they all walked up the ramp and through the gate. On the other side it was just like the M.A.L.P. showed; lots of trees and an ocean. They looked around at the tree line and saw what looked like a game trail. They followed it into the woods and as they walked they noticed that some of the plants, shrubberies and other flora were moving. After about an hour and a half they came to what looked like the foot of a mountain. Looking up, Jack noticed an opening, like the mouth of a cave. There was what looked like a staircase leading to the opening. Carefully, they scaled the mountainside and when they reached the opening and when everyone was there they took a breather. Looking around, Daniel saw pictograms on the walls. Seeing Daniel walk closer to the wall, Jack turned to Narim.

"Ok, you two go play, but Narim, you don't go off wandering alone. Daniel will be your shadow...like Siamese twins, you two." Jack said as he pointed to Daniel and Narim

The rest of the team explored the cave with lights ready and weapons cautiously trained, as Narim and Daniel hung back taking pictures and copying down the markings on the walls. Deeper inside the cave, it looked like someone had made it their home. There was a fire pit with a spit, several dishes and bowls, a water source and skeletal remains of what looked like dinner. In another corner of the back of the cave there was what looked like a bed or more accurately, a pile of leaves, branches and pine needles. This was obviously someone's home and Jack thought it wise that they should be gone when the occupant returned.  
Returning to the mouth of the cave, the three could see that Daniel and Narim were still documenting the writings and pictures on the walls.

"Come on kids. This is someone's home and we're not exactly welcome guests. I think we should be gone by the time they get back, so finish taking pictures and colouring so we can clear out." Jack said

Narim took more pictures and Daniel broke out his video camera so he catch everything on tape, given their need for speed. Within thirty minutes they were all ready to leave when Teal'c, who had been standing guard at the mouth of the cave, heard and saw something coming up the side of the mountain.

"O'Neill, something approaches." he said

Jack came over and looked down to see what looked like the critter from the M.A.L.P. coming up the side of the mountain. It looked like it had some sort of dead animal slung over it's back; dinner perhaps? As it came closer, it looked up and saw everyone at the mouth of the cave, however, this didn't deter it, it just kept coming. When it reached the top, it stood up and smiled again. It took the dead animals from around it's back and presented them to Jack and Teal'c. It was almost as if it was inviting them for supper. It didn't seem phased by the team being in it's home. It just made a fire and began to skin the animals. It operated as if they weren't even there as it prepared the evening meal. When the food had been fully cooked,  
they all sat around and ate. There was no conversation to speak of, just the team talking amongst themselves. Finally, something happened that stunned everyone.

"The suns are setting. You are welcome to stay the night." the creature said

They all looked at each other.

"You want to know how I speak your speech? I listened. I am Horan of the Himalwan. You are not of this planet. Where is your home?" he asked

Scooting a bit closer, Daniel spoke.

"We're peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth. We've come to learn about your history, your culture and possibly to become friends." he explained

"You're from the first planet? You came here through the Chaapa'ai? The portal of standing water?" he asked

"Yes. We travel from planet to planet learning customs, and sharing knowledge. We'd like to know about you and yours." he went on

"Well, my race has lived on this planet for many hundreds of years. We settled this planet after ours was destroyed by the Goa'uld long ago. In an effort to escape the Goa'uld we fled here and have not seen or heard from them since. Since then, we've prospered here and have had no threat from anyone. You are the first off-worlders that any of us have encountered in many an age. We were visited by the Nox several generations ago as well as the Asgard, four cycles ago. Some of the Nox were stranded here as were some of the Asgard. Through the generations there has been inter-species breeding. That is why I look the way I do. I understand your confusion in regard to my appearance; very hard to place." he explained

"So you speak and you're telepathic? Yes. But the majority of us choose to live as we once did before the Nox and Asgard. Before they came we were a peaceful, primitive race. Now, many of us have knowledge beyond your wildest imagination. Those of us that share genealogy with the Nox and Asgard have the power to move things with our minds, start a fire just by thinking about it and summon creatures for the hunt. However, there is a downside. Those of us that have been cross-bred are treated as outcasts and shunned by the population at large. That is why I live in this cave, here. But, I suppose it's liberating in a sort of way. It gives me time to think and reflect. Plus, I enjoy my solitude." he continued

"Wow, that's quite an explanation." Daniel said

"Yeah, that was a big mouthful." Jack said

Sam and Teal'c just sat back and listened as Horan explained things. Narim was busy taking notes while Daniel was asking questions. When he came to the last page in his journal, Narim began to write on his arm in shorthand.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The sun was up and as everyone woke up they gathered their gear, thanked their host and began back down the mountain path. Horan stood at the mouth of the cave and looked down at them. Almost as he had forgotten something, Daniel looked up at Horan.

"Hey, is it ok if we come back sometime." he asked

"You are more than welcome." Horan shouted down at them


	8. Chapter 8

Back on the ground, they all made their way back to the gate when the realized they were lost. After passing the same large stone three times they took a breather as Jack broke out his compass and looked for the sun; trouble was, there were two of them. This made it difficult to find north, as the needle kept spinning around and around. The game trail they followed to the foot of the mountain had somehow disappeared and now they had no idea where they were. They all suggested that they find the cave again and ask Horan for directions. 

Climbing up the mountainside and returning to the mouth of the cave, they found Horan seated by the fireside warming his hands. He turned to face everyone and smiled.

"We're lost. Perhaps you could help us find our way?" Daniel asked

"The forest is wondrous; it changes things. If you don't know your way, its easy to become displaced. During the day the trees drink from the streams and the fruit trees let go their cache. The best thing to do is to wait until the suns go down and the forest sleeps. Then, you will find your way." Horan explained

Daniel was stunned.

"Your trees move and your fruit bearing trees just drop their fruit?" he asked

"Yes. This planet is truly an amazing place. But for now, join me in my morning meal and when the it gets dark I will show you to your portal." Horan offered

"Its like the Ents of Fangorn Forest." Daniel said

"The what?" Jack asked

"The Ents. Lord of the Rings. Hobbits. Ring any bells?...of any sort?" Daniel replied

There was no dispute and the team had no reason to distrust Horan. Given their conversation the previous evening Horan was one who could be trusted. They all sat down around the fire and talked some more.

"I was under the impression that the Asgard couldn't mate. They're clones with the consciousness of previous Asgard loaded into their brains. From what I've seen, or haven't seen, they have no reproductive organs. So how do you cross an Asgard with a Nox?" Jack asked

"We have scientists that have taken Asgard genetic code and combined it with Nox genetic code and then planted the mixed life force within our regular population. They were experimenting and when the result came as one like me, the scientists kept performing their experiments until the last Asgard passed on and the Nox were located by their own kind and taken away from here. Initially, there were thousands of us, but since the experiments stopped, there were no more of us. We are treated as beasts and oftentimes we are hunted. Right now there aren't that many of us. The majority of our population look similar to you; but then there are the ones like me. However, we are growing in number; without benefit of science. The others are jealous of us because we possess powers that they envy." he explained

Horan lifted his hand and pointed a finger at a bowl not two feet from him. He closed his eyes and turned his hand palm side up and brought his hand towards him. The bowl began to float and as Horan moved his hand closer to him the bowl came closer to him until it sat in the palm of his hand. Everyone was amazed as they watched this happening.

It was hours later and as Horan left for the hunt, he asked the team to stay where they were because of the forest and the possibility of them getting lost again. They sat and waited while Horan was gone and several hours later, when he returned he had what looked like two deer slung over his shoulder. Amazed that such a small creature could carry so much weight, Teal'c offered to help Horan with his quarry. Horan declined, saying that they weren't heavy.

As the animals were skinned and the meat cut from the bone, Daniel helped with the other animal, doing exactly what Horan did. They added another spit to the fire and began to cook the meat. Periodically turning the meat so it would cook evenly, they all talked amongst themselves. They learned that ones like Horan were stronger, faster and smarter than their humanoid counterparts. There were so many reasons and ways in which those like Horan were more advanced than the others that it soon became very apparent why they were despised and hunted.

Several hours later and as the suns were setting, everyone finished their meal and began to gear up. Horan led them down the mountainside and to the woods. It was a long walk, but they eventually made it to the gate and after saying their thanks and good-byes, the Daniel dialed the gate and sent through the IDC. The gate opened and as they passed through the wormhole Daniel turned round' and waved good-bye to Horan.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Back on the other side, everyone had just come through the gate when they were met by General Hammond.

"SG-1, you were due back 24hrs ago. What happened?" he asked

Walking down the ramp, Jack removed his hat and shook it out.

"We got lost, sir. If it weren't for Horan we'd probably still be wandering around aimlessly in the woods. They've got trees that move, sir." he replied

"I'll expect a full briefing after you've had your check-ups. Dismissed." Hammond said

They all went to the infirmary and after being given a clean bill of health they went to the locker room to shower and change into some clean clothes. An hour later they all sat in the briefing room. Jack lead the briefing.

"We encountered the same little guy from the M.A.L.P. cam. His name is Horan and he seems to be a friendly guy. He fed us and sheltered us and led us through the woods back to the gate. I think we can put this one in the win column. He said we'd be welcome back anytime. He didn't have any technology to speak of because he lived in a cave. He was a cross breed between a Nox, an Asgard and the dominant race on the planet. Since he was a cross breed he and others like him are considered outcasts and shunned; sometimes even hunted. He said that the dominant race on the planet is humanoid and that there were genetic experiments which resulted in people like him. He's telepathic, empathic and can move things with his mind. He's also very strong and incredibly intelligent. I think he is one that an alliance might be struck. Which is to say that he and those like him might be amenable to sharing an alliance. Maybe we can have him over for a pow-wow." Jack explained

"I'll take that under advisement." Hammond said

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sitting in the mess hall Jack and Teal'c were eating Mexican. They were joined by Sam, Daniel and Narim. As they sat and ate they discussed their time with Horan and the rest of his kind. When they had finished, they all went to Daniel's lab and talked back and forth about the possibility of a treaty. After about an hour the phone rang and Daniel reached over and picked it up. He spoke briefly and replaced the handset.

"That was Hammond. He wants us in the briefing room." he said

They all assembled in the briefing room and took seats around the table. Hammond sat down and sighed.

"I've just hung up with the president and he's authorized an attempt for an accord with the beings from your last mission. You leave tomorrow morning at 06:00hrs. Get some sleep, people, tomorrow might be a busy day." he said

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

At home, Sam and Narim ate an early supper and retired early. Narim's sleep was restless as he tossed and turned most of the night. This woke Sam and she enquired as to his malady.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't sleep. I keep wondering about our wedding. Do you want a large contingent or a small one? And what of our Shal-Ma? Where do you want to go?" he asked

"Shal-Ma?" she asked

"What you would call a honeymoon. Its customary for the newly married couple to take a brief vacation to a place they've never been before." he explained

"I hadn't really thought of it. I suppose with all your reading of far off places, we should go where you'd like to go. As for the actual marriage, I'd prefer a small one; just friends and family. The rest of SG-1, of course. Some of the base personnel. I can call my brother, Mark. He and his family can come. What of anyone from Tollana? Anyone you'd like to invite?" she asked

"There's nothing and no one from Tollana that I'd like to come. Maybe if Omach were still with us he would like to come, but as you know he's no longer with us." he replied

"I'm sorry. I know he was a dear friend. You must miss him very much."

"I do."

"Let's go back to sleep and we can talk about this later, ok?" she said

Sam curled up on her side and Narim spooned up behind her. The rest of the night was spent in relative silence as Narim lay awake; his mind still racing.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

06:00hrs and as everyone stood ready in the gate room, the gate opened and they all climbed the ramp and through the gate. On the other side they were met by Horan. It was almost like he knew they were coming; which he did.

"I knew you would return soon. I just arrived, myself." he said

Daniel was about to open his mouth when Horan spoke again.

"I've spoken with others of my kind and we'd gladly like to form an alliance with your people. My people have chosen me to be their spokesman, as I'm the only one to have contact with your people." he said

"Well, this was a short trip." Daniel said as he dialed the gate to return home

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Seated around the briefing room table, SG-1 and Horan waited for Hammond to arrive. At present, he was in his office talking on the phone. Within minutes he hung up and entered the room. Everyone stood up as Hammond sat down and then sat back down and pulled their chairs up to the table. Gesturing, Jack made the introductions.

"General Hammond, this is Horan. General Hammond is the commanding officer of this base and our superior. We're all here to make friends and form an alliance between our people and yours. We can share technology, medicines and maybe even help your race from being exterminated. There are planets out there that are uninhabited and might be suitable to your people." Jack explained

"Our people have no real need for technology or medicines; we have our own which we will gladly share with you. We need nothing that you can offer, however we have some things that you might like. We ask nothing of you, but offer our limited science in the hopes that you might find something you might benefit from. All we seek is a binding friendship and when and if the time comes, help in possibly relocating those like me. That is all we seek." he said

"Well, this seems like a win, win situation." Jack said

The rest of the briefing went as well as could be expected. In the end an accord was struck and Horan left the gate room to report back to the council of his elders that the treaty had been made and that all parties involved were in agreement.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sam had been thinking about the conversation she and Narim had had the previous evening. She was in the mess when Narim arrived. They began to talk about the wedding and decided to make it an intimate affair. Only close friends and certain base personnel were to be invited. SG-1 was to be invited, General Hammond, Walter, Siler, Mark and his family, Jonas Quinn, Cassandra, Thor, Laia, Jacob and a few others. Jack would be best man and Jacob would give her away. As for their Shal-Ma, Narim decided that he'd like to see Minnesota. Apparently, Jack had been spinning tales about the wonders of Minnesota. Sam would ask Jack if they could use his cabin for the two weeks.

The wedding would take place in one week's time and Sam had spoken with Hammond and they all agreed that it would be best for all involved if they had it on the base. Sam had visions of the gate room being decorated with bluebells, violets and lilac. The gate itself would be open to a friendly world, just to have the gate open. Hammond would perform the ceremony at the top of the ramp. It would not be a military affair, but those in service would be in uniform.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The week seemed to fly by and as the big day approached everyone was both stressed and happily anxious at the same time. On the day itself, the gate room was decorated as per Carter's vision. With one hour to go before the ceremony the men were getting appropriately dressed as were the women. Teal'c, Daniel and Narim wore tuxes and the military personnel donned their uniforms. Narim was so nervous that he began to have a panic attack. He was quickly given a Xanax and within half an hour he was feeling fine as ever; a bit wobbly, but fine.

As everyone assembled in the gate room, Narim and Jack stood at the top of the ramp and as Sam and Jacob approached, Narim turned to Jack and sighed.

"She truly is a vision, but I don't know if I can go through with this. I think I'm going to pass out." he said

"Its called cold feet and its very common. Don't worry; you'll be fine." Jack replied

Sam and Jacob climbed the ramp and as they reached the top, General Hammond stood at the podium while Jacob gave Sam's hand to Narim. He was sweating profusely; so much so that he untied his bowtie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He was beginning to see double, but he tried the "mind over matter" bit but it didn't work very well. As Hammond spoke to the happy couple and talked about what was expected of a husband and what of a wife, Narim's knees began to buckle.

"Do you have the ring?" Hammond asked

Narim pulled the ring from his pocket and put it on Sam's hand while his own hands were shaking. Next, Hammond turned to Sam and asked if she had her ring. Jacob handed it to her and she placed it on Narim's finger.

"Let no one break apart what these two good people have agreed together. I now pronounce you man and wife." Hammond said

They had said their "I Do's" and as Sam and Narim were about to have their first kiss as a married couple, his knees gave out and he fell to the floor; passed out. Sam stood over him and looked down at him and then to the others.

"Daniel gave him a Xanax." Jack said

Narim was carted away to the infirmary to sleep off the effects of the pill. After Narim had been carted off, everyone had a good laugh, that was until Sam gave them all a very dirty look while on her way to the infirmary.


	9. Chapter 9

Narim lay in the infirmary on a bed, sleeping away the effects of the 10mg pill that Daniel had been given him. Silently, Sam cursed Daniel, but figured there was a good reason for his actions. As she sat and watched her husband sleeping like a baby, she thought about the beauty of the service and the vacation to come. She always liked to watch him sleep because he seemed so at peace and at the same time, a bit like a child; sometimes curled up and sometimes even looking as if he were sucking his thumb. Even though he was asleep, his hair was still perfect; she loved his hair. It looked so in place and solid that bullets might bounce off of it. The left side of his mouth, his lips, were twitching and his brow line was a bit rumpled; as if he were thinking about something or remembering something. She pulled up a stool and sat beside him as he mumbled something incoherently. 

It was several hours before Narim began to regain consciousness and when he was fully awake he turned his head and saw Sam sitting beside him.

"How did it go? Are we married?" he asked

"You don't remember?"

"The last thing I remember is standing at the top of the ramp and untying my bowtie. After that everything is very hazy. I remember sweating and then collapsing." he said

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Several hours later Sam and Narim were back at home and packing for their Shal'Ma. Jack had given permission to Sam and Narim to use his cabin in Minnesota for the two weeks. They would take an airplane and then rent a car to drive to the cabin. It was 20 miles from the nearest town, so on their way there they stopped at the nearest grocery store for food and sundries. When they finally reached the cabin it was nearly dark, so they quickly unloaded the car of their bags and groceries. Once inside, they unpacked the food and after that they went to bed. They felt a bit awkward making love in Jack's bed so they decided to hold off in the lovin' department until they returned home. It would be hard (no pun intended), but they would do their best.

When they woke up in the morning, it was warm and very sunny. Sam woke first and slipped into her bathing suit. Narim was still half asleep as she went outside for a swim in Jack's fishless lake. It was wonderful to have the feeling of weightlessness and the feel of the water around her. Feeling a bit bold, she slipped out of her suit and threw her suit onto the dock. She swam in the nude for about another hour before Narim came out and saw her. He noticed her bathing suit on the dock and knelt down to pick it up. Seeing him, Sam swam over to where he was.

"Come on in. The water's lovely." she said as she splashed him

He jumped back, almost as if he were afraid to get wet. After a few moments of staring at the naked swimming Sam, he removed his sandals and t-shirt and jumped in with her. They swam around for a bit and when they reached a shallow part of the lake they swam closer to one another and Sam wrapped her arms around Narim's neck and kissed him rather passionately. With one arm wrapped around his neck and another reaching under the water to undo his shorts, Sam quickly divested him of his shorts and boxer-briefs. She palmed his rock hard major organ and slid it inside herself. They made love on the lakeside; certain no one could see them. Jack's cabin sat on twenty acres of fenced in property. It wasn't an unsightly metal fence, but a wooden post and plank fence.

It was midday when they finished their swim and went inside for showers. When they were done they fixed something to eat. When they had finished eating they did the dishes and curled up on the couch and watched a selection of DVDs. This was going to be a lazy day, given their long swim and lovemaking on the lakeside. They were both exhausted from the day's earlier events.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Back at the mountain things were beginning to get weird. SG-3 had just returned and all the members were acting not quite right. During their briefing the members kept their answers short; that is if they spoke at all. The mission report was unusually short and there were certain, but subtle differences. Colonel Reynolds was right handed but was now writing with his left, as were the rest of the team. Those who didn't usually drink coffee were now doing so and looked to each other for approval before answering any of Hammond's questions. Another anomaly was that none of them had reported to the infirmary for their routine post mission check-up. It was as if they were deliberately avoiding the infirmary. When Hammond learned of this,  
he had them escorted for their check-ups.

Sitting in his office, Hammond was doing paperwork when Thor appeared with some disturbing news. A bit startled by his arrival, Hammond nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Thor. How can we help you?" he asked

"I come with troubling news. The changelings have reached your section of the galaxy. They may have even infiltrated one or some of your teams. We have been monitoring your teams and their activity and we have reason to believe that there might have been an infiltration. I suggest you examine everyone that comes through the gate. Though they may look like your team members, biologically, they're not. A medical examination will immediately tell you if they're here. Their base mission is to gather intelligence and report back to their ship and planet to report anything they might find out; any weaknesses of any sort." he explained

Hammond was troubled, to say the least.

"Well, SG-3 just came back and had to be escorted to the infirmary because they were avoiding their post mission check-ups." Hammond replied

"Then they are most likely Changelings and must be contained. They can't know what's going on or they'll get extremely violent. They're very strong and very fast. The trouble is, they can impersonate anyone they've touched or seen. That's what makes them so hard to catch. I recommend that you have SG-3 quarantined immediately." Thor recommended

"Done." Hammond said

He picked up his desk phone and called the infirmary while at the same time he ordered two sets of guards to greet SG-3 and take them into custody. Without resistance, SG-3 was placed in a holding room with some bunk beds.

Still talking with Thor, Hammond was listening.

"There's only two ways to find out if your men are Changelings. The first is a medical exam and the second is with this." Thor said as he handed Hammond something that looked like a pen-light

"Ultraviolet light will turn them bright green. I suggest you have a massive light installed above the gate so that when people return, they pass under the light and you can tell right from the off." he suggested

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Back at the cabin it was nighttime and Narim and Sam had gone to sleep several hours ago. Outside there was a sound that woke Narim, and as he crawled out of bed he tried to make as little noise or movement as possible, so as not to wake Sam. He went outside onto the back deck to see a family of deer drinking from the lake. The moon was full and there were no clouds, so he could see them very well. He sat in one of the chairs and simply watched the deer for as long as they were there. He watched for so long that he fell asleep in the chair and didn't wake until the birds started twittering and the mist from the lake began to rise in the pre-dawn hour.

Around 08:00hrs Sam woke to an empty bed and wondered where Narim was. She threw some clothes on and went looking for him. She checked the house and when she didn't find him there she checked outside. She found him asleep on the back deck in one of the Adirondack chairs with his feet propped up on another chair. He looked so at peace that Sam didn't want to wake him up. Fortunately, he woke up on his own. Though she made no noise while she was beside him, Narim could sense her and reached his arm out and wrapped it around her waist, bringing her down onto his lap. His eyes still closed, he sighed.

"Good morning, Samantha."

"Good morning, yourself. How did you know I was here?" she asked

"I could sense you. I can always sense when you're nearby." he replied

"What are you doing out here?"

"I was watching a family of deer at the lake earlier. I must have fallen asleep."

After sitting on his lap for a while, being held by her husband, Sam made to get up, but Narim held her down. She tried to wriggle free, but he held her firmly.

"Let's just sit a while. I find this very relaxing, but you're so tempting. What did I do to deserve such a wonderful woman such as yourself?" he asked

"You were yourself. You love me and would never ask me to change anything about myself." she replied

They sat like that for a while until Narim had to get up and use the bathroom. He let go of Sam and they went inside for showers. When they had finished, they got dressed and drove into town to do some antiquing. There were a number of curio shops down Main Street and Sam and Narim wanted to see what was for sale.

The first store they entered had more fine china and other fragile type items. The second shop was more to Sam's liking. There were hand carved items, jewelry, those Japanese towns carved out of Ivory and encased in wood and glass, and scads of other items that Sam looked at. She spent a long time looking at an antique ring in the jewelry case while Narim was off looking at dream catchers and Native American carvings. He took one from a shelf and looked at it closely. It was a plump woman, which most likely signified fertility. He thought this might be appropriate, given Sam's condition. He checked the price tag and saw that it was within his financial range, so he decided to buy it. Approaching the counter, Narim noticed that Sam was still looking at the jewelry case and asked what she was looking at.

"Oh, its just this ring. Its beautiful; so ornate in it's design." she replied

"How much is it?" he asked

"Oh, its got to be way too much. Don't worry about it. Besides, I spoke to the shopkeeper and he said its been here for years, so its not going anywhere anytime soon." she said as she moved away from the counter

"I thought this would be appropriate." he said, holding up the statuette

"Funny, Narim." she replied

As Sam looked around the rest of the store while Narim paid the cashier. Narim found Sam looking at an Ivory carving and asked if she was ready to go. They left the store and since it was nearing midday, they decided to get something to eat. They found a small outside cafe and ordered a couple of salads and some iced tea. When they were done they returned to their car and drove back to the cabin. Narim presented Sam with the statuette of the plump little woman but hid the other item he purchased amongst the clothing in his bag.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

SG-3 was in lock-up, being that they weren't really SG-3, but in fact Changelings. They had been subjected to the UV light that Thor had given Hammond and they had been seen for what they really were. Under the light they looked a lot like the Anubis/Kull warriors, in that their skin was nearly transparent, their eyes vacant and they had a generally unsightly appearance. Once Hammond had learned that SG-3 wasn't SG-3, he began to wonder where the real SG-3 was. He immediately dispatched another SG unit to search out and retrieve the real SG-3 and bring them home. In the interim, a large UV light was being installed just above and in front of the gate to prevent and deter any further Changelings from leaving the gate room. If any more appeared, they'd immediately be taken into custody and placed in seclusion until the powers that be decided what to do with them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was night and as Sam and Narim ate supper they talked about her pregnancy and how it was going. Narim already knew she was having twin boys, but he was unsure of the names they'd be given. Sam suggested Narim Jr., for one of them, but Narim wanted to name one of them Omach, after one of his closest and dearest friends. Sam wasn't too keen on the idea of naming one of her sons Omach; she had visions of him getting the crap kicked out of him at school everyday with a name like that. In the end,  
she agreed to have Omach be a middle name for the second boy. When she thought about it, she didn't even know Narim's last name or if he even had one.

"Hey, Narim. What's your last name? You know, mine is Carter, so what's yours?" she asked

"I don't have one. Narim was my family name, and since I was an only child, there was no problem or confusion. My father was Narim, the Elder. That's the way we do things on Tollana. My father's father's name was Narim the Senior. You see?" he explained

"I get it. A bit confusing, but I get it." she replied

"So, when the children are born, Narim will be "Narim" and I will become Narim, the Elder. When he has a son, then I will become Narim, the Senior and he will become the Elder. I know it's a bit confusing at first, but you'll get it down." he went on

All this talk of naming the children was getting a bit tiring, so Sam decided to turn in early for the evening while Narim sat up watching the Nature Channel. It was some time before he joined Sam in bed and by the time he got there she was in a deep sleep. He took off his shorts, t-shirt and other clothing and crawled into bed along side his wife. He thought about what he had done at the curio shop earlier that day and was certain he had made the right decision. He knew she'd love his gift.

When he woke the following morning, Sam was still asleep and he took the time to watch her. Just as Sam liked to watch Narim sleep, he liked to watch her sleep; she looked so Angelic. He loved the way her lips pouted and the edges of her mouth twitched. He stood there for a few moments more before getting dressed and going into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. By now he knew just how Sam liked it and believe it or not, he was developing a taste for it, himself. He tried to think of what they might do today, as it was nice and warm and not a cloud in sight. He thought about a hike around Jack's property, as he did have quite a bit of it. Several moments later he returned to the bedroom with a fresh mug of coffee for Sam. He set it on the bedside table beside her as he carefully sat on the edge of the bed. He stroked the hair from her face and she slowly opened her bright blue eyes. To him, her eyes were as bright as the pools of Orlana back on his home planet. The waters were so blue and clear you could see the sand several feet beneath the water's surface. It was a place that he'd go when he needed to clear his head. Since first meeting Sam and being relocated to a new planet, he found another ocean with water as clear as those on Orlana. He'd sit there, on the shore, and watch the waves crashing on the shore in an undulating motion akin to that of the motions of him when he was making love to her. He'd sit there and wonder about such things and now that they'd made love several times, every time, he'd think of the ocean. He secretly wished there were a place like that nearby where he could go to sit and contemplate his new life and his new wife. There was so much that he still didn't know about her, but that didn't stop him from loving her completely and unconditionally.

"Good morning, beautiful." he said

Sitting up in bed, she reached for the mug and took a sip, then set the mug down.

"Good morning, yourself." she replied

He got up and went outside to look at the lake. Sam was taking her time in waking up, so Narim decided to take a little walk, but not before telling her that he was. He put on his hiking boots and left the house. Not far from the house, he found a path into the woods and followed it for a while. Before he knew it he'd been hiking for the better part of two hours. Concerned that Sam might be wondering where he was, he turned round' and headed back to the cabin just in time to find Sam dressed and in her own hiking boots. They set out on the same trail that Narim had followed earlier and continued farther then he had before. They stopped at an outcropping of rocks that looked out over a valley. They sat on the rocks and looked at the valley for a while, while holding hands and comforting each other. All of a sudden Sam jumped.

"What's wrong?" Narim asked

"They're moving." she said as she took his hand and placed it on her belly

He could feel the movement within her and at once, a smile presented itself on his face. He put a bit more pressure on her abdomen and could feel more movement. She was beginning to show and by the time they returned home she would most likely be restricted to the lab or other research sections of the base. The thought of it drove her mad as she thought about how she'd go crazy from being restricted to the base. She'd miss gate travel too much and thought about how unfair it would be with Narim going off-world while she was stuck inside. She supposed she could work on the book she was writing in her free time, of which she had precious little. And within a month or two she'd most likely go on maternity leave. She had tons of vacation time and that coupled with her maternity leave would allow her to take the last couple or few months of her pregnancy off and stay at home working on the nursery. Being an architect, Narim insisted on making the cradle himself, along with some of the other furniture in the nursery. They agreed that he would take the last month of her pregnancy off so he could help her out around the house. With what he was being paid by the government and Gate Program, he had more than enough in savings to take time off before and after the delivery. He would discuss it with the General once it had been established that Sam was truly pregnant and restricted to the base. He wanted to be with her as much as he possibly could; as any good husband would.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

In his office, Hammond was filling out some paperwork when Thor appeared out of nowhere. He informed Hammond that his ship was equipped with rooms enough to hold the Changelings until they reached their home world.

Outside lock-up and the iso-rooms, the Changelings were disappearing in a flash of bright white light. Within a matter of seconds both rooms were empty and the Changelings were aboard Thor's ship.

Hammond thanked him for his help and was told to contact him if any other Changelings showed up.

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It was midday and as Narim and Sam returned to the cabin she could hear the phone ring. She raced to pick it up and smiled when she heard Daniel's voice. He was calling her to tell her about the events that had been unfolding at the base and suggested that she return post haste, as she might be of some use in the detection and protection process. She relayed this message to Narim and he was unexpectedly supportive. They packed their bags and rather than take a plane back to the mountain, they drove. It took a day of them driving in shifts, but they made it back quickly.

They stopped at home first to unload their things and then Narim followed Sam to the car return place. From there, they drove to the mountain and made a bee-line for Hammond's office. With Sam talking to Hammond and Narim in Daniel's lab, they were both filled in as to the situation with the Changelings. However, Daniel had a surprise for Narim. They exited the lab and walked to the room next door. It was similar to Daniel's lab, what with the shelves of books and journals that Narim had been using. There was a computer, a phone, two blackboards and a lot of the same books that Daniel had in his office.

"This is your office or lab. You've got, in here, pretty much everything that I have in my lab, and we'll be right next door to each other, so if you need anything I'll be right over there." he said, pointing to the wall

Narim was a bit overwhelmed at this gift that Hammond and Daniel had bestowed unto him. He looked at the bookshelves and his journals. He turned to the long metal table that had a host of items on it.

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Sam was on her way to Daniel's lab when she saw him leaving Narim's lab. He directed her to Narim's lab and went back to his own space. Standing in the doorway, Sam coughed to announce her presence. He turned round' and smiled at her.

"I've got my own office now." he said happily

"I see that. I guess you're official, now." she said

Thinking for a moment, he grumbled.

"Why does Jack not have an office?" he asked

"Well, Jack sort of floats from lab to lab, so I suppose you could say that he has two offices. Now that you have a lab, he'll probably come floating in here from time to time, being that you're next to Daniel." she explained

"So he shares offices with the other members of SG-1?" he asked

Narim pulled one of his journals from the bookshelf and went through it. He was so glad to have his own workspace that he could barely contain himself. He went around picking things up, looking through them and then putting them back down. He was like a kid in a candy store the way he was acting.

"I love it!" he said in a raised tone

"I'm glad you like it." Sam replied


	10. Chapter 10

Sitting in his lab, Narim was still a bit awestruck at the gift that Hammond had bestowed unto him. He was perfectly happy sharing a lab with Daniel, but maybe Daniel was the one that talked to Hammond and got him his office. Maybe Daniel was feeling cramped with Narim always there, and he wanted his own space back. 

In the gate room, Sam was on the top rung of a ladder taking readings from the gate's energy signature, when Siler accidentally bumped into the ladder and she fell off, landing on her side on the cold, hard surface of the concrete floor of the gate room. A medical team was immediately dispatched and she was taken to the infirmary and Narim was notified.

Rushing to her bedside, Narim took Sam's hand and held onto it for dear life. The doctor entered the room and told Narim of her condition.

"She's got a broken leg, arm and scapula."

"Is that all? Otherwise she's fine?" he asked carefully, not wanting to reveal her pregnant state

"She's fine. She'll need some time off, but other than that, she's perfectly well."

"I'm glad to hear it. When can she go home?" he asked, concerned

"I'd like to keep her overnight for observation, but I don't see why she shouldn't be able to go home tomorrow." the doctor explained

Walking up to her bedside, Narim took her hand on his and kissed the top of it. The doctor was looking at the two of them and sighed.

"She's also pregnant. I'd say three and a half months along. Of course, I have to inform General Hammond of this." she said

Quickly, Narim turned to her and stared.

"I'll inform General Hammond, myself." he said

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Sitting in his office, the General was going over some mission reports when Narim knocked on the jamb. Looking up from the pile of files, he gestured for him to enter. Sitting across from Hammond, Narim took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"What's on your mind, Narim?" Hammond asked

"I feel it is my duty to tell you that Samantha is pregnant. I don't know how this will affect her gate travel, but, well...there it is." he said

"Her gate travel will be suspended, not just because she's pregnant, but obviously because of her accident yesterday in the gate room. I'm sure she'll find something to occupy her mind and time while she heals and for the duration of her pregnancy. We'll just need a scientist to fill in for her while she's off gate travel." Hammond said

"Well, I could fill in for her. My knowledge of science and scientific theory are far beyond her understanding. Besides, and I hate to put it this way, I'm smarter than she is and have a grasp on sciences that surpass anyone on Earth's understanding. Why have two linguists on the same team, right?" Narim suggested

After a few moment's thinking, Hammond replied.

"Done. You'll take her place on the team until she's ready to come back. I'll inform Jack of the change. You might want to tell Carter this rather than I. She'll probably take it better coming from you." Hammond suggested

Getting up from his seat, Narim gave a little bow and left Hammond's office. He headed to the infirmary to let Sam know about the change up on the team. She was still asleep in bed when Narim arrived, but as soon as he entered the room her eyes opened and she smiled at him. He took a chair and sat beside her.

"I have news." he said simply

"Good or bad?" she asked

"Bit of both, I'm afraid. Bad news; Hammond knows about your pregnancy. Good news; I'm to take your place as scientist on the team. With my greater understanding of various sciences, I was the logical choice to replace you. Besides, the team doesn't need two linguists." he explained

"Well, I'm glad they'll have a competent scientist on the team, but what am I supposed to do while I'm unable to work?" she asked

"I suppose you could stay home until your broken bones mend and when they're done you can come back to the base and resume your work; you just won't be permitted to have any gate travel." he replied

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The day passed by and morning drew near, Sam was discharged from the infirmary and Narim drove her home. All he had time to do was drop her off and help her into the house and make sure she could make it around without bumping into anything and then he had to leave. He was due in the gate room at 06:00hrs and he was on the verge of being late. He hated being tardy and prided himself on his punctuality.

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06:00hrs and everyone was in the gate room and ready to leave. The M.A.L.P. readings were encouraging; showing structures that seemed to be solidly constructed of wood and stone, similar to that of mid-evil Europe during the Gothic era. They all passed through the gate and emerged on the other side; greeted by people that were dressed in heavy armour and wielding swords. They looked like knights, and as everyone stood in a standoff position, one of the knights spoke up.

"Lay your weapons down or you will be run through."

As linguist and unofficial diplomat, Daniel was the first to set his gun down and suggested that everyone else do the same. Jack, Teal'c and Narim set their weapons on the ground and held their hands up. After a few moments, Daniel spoke up.

"We're peaceful travelers from the planet Earth. We're here to share knowledge and learn your customs and history."

The most elaborately dressed knight removed his helmet and approached Daniel.

"Peaceful travelers that carry weapons and travel with a Jaffa? Apophis sect, by the looks of him. Tell us your real purpose here and do not lie. For your very lives; do not lie." he demanded

"He speaks the truth. We wish to learn and exchange knowledge. There is much we could learn from each other." Narim said

"I am Rogan, and these are my company." he said, gesturing for everyone else to remove their helmets

They truly looked like the knights of old and as they were escorted away from the gate and towards a large castle that dwarfed every other structure, Daniel took out his camera and began taking footage of the area. Their weapons were being carried by two of the other knights that brought up the rear of the column. As they approached the castle, Rogan spoke up.

"You are to be brought before King Artimus. He will decide your fate."

The castle gates opened and as they passed through, they were closed behind them. Inside the castle it was cold and kind of on the dank side. They were led to a room with a large circular table flanked by sitting benches. They were left to stand while Rogan went to fetch the King and the other knights stood watch over SG-1. Moments later, Rogan returned with the King and the knights took seats around the table, setting their swords on the table before them. Rogan gestured to SG-1 and told the King everything he knew.

"They say they're peaceful travelers that seek knowledge and exchange information to the effect of an accord." he said

Turning to Jack, Daniel was amazed.

"This is right out of King Arthur and Camelot. The round table, the knights; everything." he said as he continued to film

Their weapons were laid out on the table as well as their packs and vests. Rogan noticed Daniel's camera and took it from him; setting it on the table along with everything else. The King approached SG-1 and spoke.

"Your names? How are you called?" he asked

Jack was the first to speak.

"I'm General Jack O'Neill and this is Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and Narim, and they are my company." he said

The King walked back and forth in front of Jack et al and looked them over, stopping in front of each team member and asking their status.

"Daniel Jackson, what is your purpose?"

"I'm an archaeologist. I study history; knowledge, customs, architecture and other matters of old."

"Teal'c, if you no longer serve Apophis, then what is your purpose?"

"I am guard to the others of this company. I am a warrior, sworn to protect those with me." he explained

"Narim, what is your purpose?"

"I am a scientist and linguist. I study language, translations and scientific theory and application." he explained

The King continued to pace as he looked from one member of SG-1 to the other. When he finally stopped, it was in front of Jack. He gestured to the table.

"If you're peaceful explorers, as you claim, then why do you carry weapons. Weapons, that by the looks of things, could inflict great bodily injury." he asked

Jack took a step forward.

"We don't travel without weapons with which to defend ourselves against any hostiles we might encounter." he explained

Pacing some more, the King stopped in front of Teal'c.

"And a Jaffa?"

"A Jaffa that has abandoned his false God and now serves our company and our planet against the Goa'uld." Jack stated

Teal'c gave a slight bow to the King and the King returned in kind. Stopping and stroking his beard for a moment, the King spoke.

"I believe they speak the truth, as this Jaffa is capable of killing without his weapon and if he were still in the service of Apophis, he would have already killed all of us, here." he said, gesturing for SG-1 to take a seat on one of the benches

The King took his seat at the table and a meeting convened.

"I have received word that Lord Latagant has pillaged another town on the outskirts of my territory. We must defend against him and bring the villagers aid in rebuilding their community. Maybe these strangers can help, as they've expressed the willingness to strike an accord. If they serve with us in finding and bringing Lord Latagant to justice, they will have proven that they can be taken at their word. Will you assist us?" King Artimus asked

"We'll do our best to assist. Teal'c and I will assist in your problem while Narim and Daniel will stay behind and learn from your scholars. Is that acceptable?" Jack asked

"That is acceptable." the King agreed

While Daniel and Narim were ushered away and out of the room to see the scholars, Jack and Teal'c stayed behind to help devise a plan to defeat this foe.

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Standing around a large rectangular table with a map on it, Jack, Teal'c and the rest of the knights talked things out and tried to devise a plan to draw Latagant out. After about an hour, a plan was devised and Jack spoke.

"Cut off the head and the body dies. We take out Latagant and his men will have no choice but to surrender. They'd have lost their leader and will have no idea what to do." he explained

Jack and Teal'c were given back their vests and weapons and left the castle on horseback, in the direction of Latagant's encampment. True to form, Latagant had look-outs hiding high in the trees of the forest that alerted Latagant and his men that there was company coming. After about an hour of traveling they reached a clearing of high grass and Jack got an uneasy feeling. He and Teal'c dismounted and hit the ground, laying low in the tall grass. The knights followed suit and lay on the ground. Looking through his binoculars, Jack could see the camp and set his sights on Latagant. Teal'c pulled out his zat while Jack affixed a silencer to the muzzle of his P-90. Taken by surprise, the knights, Jack and Teal'c found themselves in close quarters battle. There were sword fights and weapon's fire as everyone was forced to stand up and expose their position.

"One shot, one kill." Jack shouted to Teal'c

They were outnumbered four to one, but they'd been in worse situations before. Jack could see Latagant hiding behind his column, but as they were quickly dispatched and hit the ground, Latagant was forced to come out from his hiding and engage in some hand to hand combat with Jack. Jack gave his P-90 to Teal'c and pulled out his knife. As Latagant approached Jack could see the man's eyes glow.

"Shit, he's a Goa'uld" Jack shouted to Teal'c

Jack re-sheathed his knife and Teal'c tossed him a zat. As Latagant got closer, Jack could see that he, too, was equipped with a zat. Jack fired the zat, hit the ground and fired again. He had hit Latagant once. Everyone else was otherwise occupied with Latagant's troops; who were, in fact, Jaffa. Teal'c wondered how they got to this planet and why they were still there. Why were the soldiers using swords instead of staff weapons, and why they weren't acting like normal Goa'ulds. Jack was wondering the exact same thing as he popped his head up to see that Latagant had gotten to his feet. He fired the zat one more time and Latagant hit the ground; dead. He was right when he said the bit about cutting off the head and the body dying. As soon as the Jaffa noticed that Latagant was down, they stopped and stared at Artimus's knights. While they were still, Rogan and his company beheaded every single Jaffa and the battle, however short it was, was over.

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Back at the castle, Narim and Daniel were speaking with Orimus, one of the lead scholars, about their history and customs. Daniel explained that many hundreds of years ago on their planet there was an age where things were very similar to the way things were there. They were in the middle of a heated discussion about religion and theology when the knights returned with Jack and Teal'c.

It had only been a few hours since they'd left, but looking out the window of the throne room, King Artimus saw all of his men returning, looking none the worse for wear. Rogan reported immediately to the King, saying that the winning of the battle was due largely in part to Jack and Teal'c. Being brought before the King, Jack and Teal'c were shown gratitude in the form of being knighted. That evening there was a great feast in honour of the battle being won and won so quickly. The feast lasted well into the night and as the hours drew more and more late, people began to retire. When there was only Rogan, the King and SG-1, Jack expressed the need for their return to Earth. Daniel asked if they would be permitted to return and were glad to hear that they would always be welcome. Rogan, much like Narim, was curious about everything. Jack offered to bring him back with them and Daniel offered to show him possible proof of his ancestry. Rogan looked to the King and was given approval, but only if one of SG-1 stayed behind; as a sort of insurance policy.

Having removed the bulk of his armour, Rogan donned his uniform in the form of steel mesh sort of pants, durable boots and a grey and blue tunic, with his sword at his waist. Narim had elected to stay behind and learn in exchange for Rogan going with Jack, Daniel and Teal'c. Approaching the gate, Daniel dialed and sent their IDC before everyone passed through the great ring.

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Back at the SCG, SG-1 had just returned and as they passed through the UV light, they went right to the infirmary. They were greeted by General Hammond on the way and Daniel explained Rogan's presence. Having been given a clean bill of health, Daniel, Rogan, Jack and Teal'c readied themselves for the post mission briefing. Daniel explained that it was customary for a meeting to convene after every mission. Daniel asked Hammond if Rogan could be permitted to attend and was told that he could.

Seated around the table in the briefing room, Daniel began by introducing Rogan to General Hammond. After that, the briefing went on as usual. Daniel expressed an interest in having an alliance with Rogan and his people. Granted, they were still hundreds of years behind them, technologically, but that wasn't such a problem. Rogan and his people could benefit from learning some advanced military tactics and shown which indigenous plants had medicinal properties that they didn't already know about. Hammond agreed to the alliance, but only if the King were present, as Rogan had no real authority to make any decision right then and there. Rogan said he'd speak to the King when he returned home.

After about an hour the briefing had ended and Daniel brought Rogan to his lab where he showed him all sorts of documentation of Mid-evil and Gothic era Europe. Rogan was amazed at all the information Daniel was showing him and especially liked the National Geographic magazines that he was looking at. He was learning a great wealth of knowledge during his stay at the SGC and when it came time for him to return home, he was given a GDO and told how to operate it and that it was to be given to the King in the event that they ever needed to contact them. A meeting was set up for some time during the week when the King would come to Earth and the alliance would be formed.

As Rogan stood at the top of the ramp, he waved good-bye and passed through the gate. Several minutes later Narim returned with notebooks full of information.


	11. Chapter 11

It was Wednesday when King Artimus arrived at 06:00hrs. He was dressed in nearly the same attire as Rogan and the other knight; grey metal mesh pants, durable boots and a grey and blue tunic, with his sword at his waist. As he stood at the top of the ramp, flanked by Rogan and another knight, he addressed Hammond. 

"General Hammond, do I have leave to enter your compound?" he asked

"You do, and welcome, King Artimus." Hammond replied

The King and his guard walked down the ramp, shook hands with Hammond and walked up to the briefing room. There was a sort of breakfast buffet on one of the tables off to the side where there was bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, jam, orange juice, muffins of various sorts and other breakfast items. Hammond gestured for his guests to partake of the food and beverages as he sat at the table waiting for them to take their seats. With full plates, everyone returned to the table and the meeting began.

There was talk of an exchange of knowledge, culture, military tactics and medicines. Hammond agreed to send a small contingent of SG members that would return with the King through the gate and help with fortifications to the castle and the surround. The team would also teach the knights and other soldiers advanced military tactics and how to improve on the ones that they already had. A pharmacologist and botanist would also go and teach the apothecaries which plants had medicinal properties and how to extract the medicines from the plants.

King Artimus really had nothing to offer, but gladly excepted the kindness of General Hammond. The only thing he asked was that, when the need ever arose, if he could send refugees or people seeking asylum to his land. Maybe creating another beta site within the realm would be a way for Artimus to provide something in exchange for all that he and his people were to be given. Hammond explained.

"Sometimes, when our teams are out on missions they come across people under oppression and are taken in as refugees. Then we find suitable worlds to relocate them to. If we could use your kingdom as a refuge for those under tyranny, we can have an accord. Granted, this doesn't happen very often, but if the need arises, we need to know that we can count on you to help us out."

"You have my word. If you provide us with all that you have promised, then we will accept your terms." Artimus said

After about an hour of talks, the King and his guard were ready to leave. They were accompanied by SG-1, partially because of the team's experience and partially because Jack and Teal'c wanted to check out Latagant's camp and find out why and how a Goa'uld would be hiding out in such a country and take on the persona of an average warlord instead of trying to take everything over and using false religion to deify himself. Narim would be going to educate the scholars and scientists with the silent understanding from Hammond that they would not over educate the people, but just give them a leg up on science and military tactics. He would have to tell Sam about this as it was due to be an extended trip with regular 24hr updates until the team felt they could teach Rogan and his men no more. From the briefing room Narim called home and when Sam picked up he explained what was going on and that he didn't know exactly how long he would be gone, but that there would be regular updates every 24hrs.

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Back at the castle Jack and Teal'c were with Rogan, his knights and the regular soldiers. They were teaching them new methods of hand to hand combat, more efficient ways to sword fight and how to turn the forest into a death trap by making booby traps and other such methods of fighting. However, first they all went to Latagant's camp to figure out why a Goa'uld would be hiding out in such a setting and for so long. On their way to the encampment Rogan informed Jack that they had raided the camp after the battle and found several weapons that were not of native construction laying on the ground. They had found several zats, some staff weapons, a ribbon device and a ring activator, which Rogan had brought with him. When they had reached the camp, Rogan gave the ring activator to Jack and watched as he and Teal'c disappeared as the rings surfaced.

Underground, Jack and Teal'c found themselves in a chamber that looked like a bomb shelter, which is probably why there were no tents or yurts or even fires. The only sign of occupation were the stands in the trees and the tram lines for easy escape from said trees. There were several chambers from where Jack and Teal'c stood, almost like an underground labyrinth. There were chambers with bunk beds, chambers with tables for eating and countless sets of Jaffa armour and Goa'uld weapons.

"Why didn't they use their weapons during the battle?" Jack asked

"Perhaps they were caught off guard and forced to use the only weapons they had at their disposal." Teal'c suggested

"That sounds like the most the most likely scenario. But, what were they all doing on the surface, and why, when they pillaged that village, did they use swords instead of the staffs and zats?" Jack asked

"Perhaps they were trying to blend in with the local population. Perhaps this Latagant was a Goa'uld in hiding from the rest of the system lords." Teal'c said, lifting a guard helmet

"Do you recognize the construction of that helmet?" Jack asked

"I do not." Teal'c replied as he set the helmet down

"What would drive a Goa'uld to hide out in mid-evil times and not use the Goa'uld weapons that they had?" Jack asked in a low voice

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Back on Earth, Sam was getting restless from sitting around, watching the tellie all day. If not for her broken arm and scapula, she would be more comfortable. As it was, she was stuck on the couch with nothing but the phone and the tellie remote within reach. She reached over to the couch side table and picked up the phone. She called the SGC and was transferred to Hammond's office. She asked if there were any updates on SG-1 and was glad to hear that everything was going well. She longed to be in her lab, even if she was just tinkering with a Naquadah generator. She did have her lap top, though. But for her broken arm and the way the cast held it outstretched, she'd be working on the book she was writing. Instead, she just took some pain killers and fell asleep.

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During a scholarly session, Daniel and Narim were discussing medicines that could be derived from indigenous plants. Narim couldn't help but let his mind wander in regard to Sam. He hated that she was alone and longed to be with her. Never had he missed her so much. Even in the years it took for the Tollans to find and colonize a new planet, he thought about her daily, but never missed her as much as he did now. During a break in conversation, he took Daniel aside and expressed an interest in going back to the SGC. Daniel saw no problem with it and sent him on his way.

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Stepping through the gate, Narim was greeted by General Hammond. He asked if he could go home and take care of Sam for a few days. Hammond agreed that she needed help getting around and was surprised that it took this long for Narim to return. Narim was given a week's leave so that he could stay at home with Sam. He went to the locker room, took a shower and dressed in his street clothes.

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Sleeping on the couch, Sam was oblivious to Narim's presence as he sat on the edge of the couch and watched her sleeping. After a few moments, he went into the bedroom and went to sleep. It wasn't until later that night, early morning, actually, that Sam got up and hobbled into the bedroom to find Narim home and sleeping. She slipped in beside him and lay on her back as she listened to him breathing. It had been a while since Sam had just lay in bed and basked in the presence of the love of her life. Even while she was with Pete, she held out hope for Narim, hoping that he had escaped the destruction that the Goa'uld waged on his planet.

It was in the early hours of the morning when Narim woke up and saw Sam beside him. He carefully crept out of bed and relieved himself. From the bathroom he went to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee while he went back into the bathroom to take a shower.

Emerging from the shower, Narim felt refreshed and ready to greet a new day. He dressed and poured a mug of coffee for himself and another for Sam. He walked quietly into the bedroom and set the mug on her bedside table then sat beside her on the bed. He gently swept the hair from her face and smiled as she opened her eyes. Looking up at him, she was a bit confused.

"I thought you were on mission." she said sleepily

"I came back to take care of you, as any good husband should do for his wife. You know, "in sickness and in health"?" he said sweetly

"You're too good to me." she said as she sat up

"Do unto others..." he replied

"So, how long are you here for? Shouldn't you be on mission with the rest of the team?"

"I was, but when it became evident that I really wasn't needed, I asked to come home so I could care for you. General Hammond gave me a week to help you around the house and spend some time with you before returning to work." he explained

"Well, that was kind of him." she said as she tried to get out of bed

"He is a kind man." Narim replied

He stood and helped Sam into the bathroom so she could use the toilet. After she washed her hands, she opened the door and Narim scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the couch in the living room. He went back into the bedroom for the coffee, returned with the mug and set it on the table beside the couch. He had fixed it just the way she liked it and as she sat and drank it Narim sat beside her and flipped on the tellie. They settled on the Nature Channel, which was Narim's favourite. Having lived the majority of his life without seeing any animals, he couldn't get enough of seeing animals on tv or when he and Sam would go for walks. They still had Schrodinger and Narim played with him every chance he got. He was even tempted to ask Sam if they could get a dog, but he read or heard somewhere that cats and dogs don't usually get along.

He turned to Sam and smiled at her. It was the sort of smile that he saved only for her; the smile that she loved so much; the smile that showed her how much he loved her. His teeth were slightly askew, but that was fine with her because every time he smiled at her it was as if the sun had come out to shine and shone just for her. It was the smile that she had fallen in love with before she had realized her own strong feelings for him; feelings that would tell her that he was the right man for her and that she would love him always. For her, no matter how badly her day was going, she would always light up when he smiled at her. He knew that she loved his smile and laughed when she had told him that he should wear it more often, and he would happily oblige her.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you. I should have been there." he said

"That's alright. Besides, you were on mission. There was no way you could know so there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. Don't feel bad; I'll heal up and be better than new in no time." she replied

"Still, I feel guilty that I wasn't there to prevent this."

"There's nothing you could have done. What's done is done. Don't blame yourself."

He got up and began to prepare supper for the both of them. Since arriving back on Earth, Sam hadn't had any meat, so as a treat of sorts, he had stopped at the market before he returned to the house and picked up a steak for her. He knew she liked steaks, but out of respect for him she had stayed away from all forms of meat, as he was a vegetarian. He hoped this little treat would pick her spirits up. He went out back and started up the grill and when the coals were hot enough he dropped the piece of meat on the grill. Inside he was making some mashed potatoes and corn on the cob; minus the cob. When all was done, he brought the steak inside and cut it into manageable pieces so that Sam could eat with her good hand.

The meal was delicious and Sam had eaten more than her fill. So much so that she found it difficult to stand. He rushed to her side and helped her into the bathroom for a bath. He ran the water and wrapped a heavy duty garbage bag around her leg and tied it off at the top so that her cast wouldn't get wet. He helped her into the tub and sat beside her while she bathed in the event that she would need help with something. He sat on the toilet lid reading a copy of "People" magazine while she struggled with her bath. Setting the magazine down, he took the sea sponge and washed her back and when that was done, he carefully washed her hair; making sure that her arm cast didn't get wet. Her arm was broken at the forearm and her leg at the femur. Her scapula was another story; she had to have her arm in a sling to restrict movement so she would heal properly. She was already feeling better than she had right after the accident. She was able to put minimal weight on her leg; most often hobbling around. She could move her arm, but tried to avoid moving it. All in all, for all her wounds, she wasn't in that bad shape.

When her bath was done Narim helped her dry off and get dressed in some sweats and a t-shirt as well as some thick socks. With a cane, she hobbled into the living room and dropped down on the couch. She didn't know what to do with herself. She wasn't tired, she wasn't hungry; she was going stir crazy. It was then that Narim suggested a nice and stimulating game of Scrabble. Sam was a bit depressed at not being able to do anything of value to her job. It was then that she decided she'd go into work the following day and when she told Narim he was understandably concerned.

"Are you sure? I mean you've only been off the job for a couple of days. Are you certain you want to go back in?" he asked

"If I don't, then I'll be sitting around here like a lump and feeling useless. At least at work I can do something. I can analyze items brought back from missions, I can try to make the Naquadah generators more efficient; at least I can make myself useful." she explained

"Well, as long as you're certain. We can go in tomorrow." he replied

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In the pre-dawn hours Narim and Sam woke up and got ready to go in. Sam was having a bit of trouble getting dressed, but that was to be expected. Narim picked up his cell and dialed a number, sure that the person he was calling was already awake. This was kind of on the normal side because the team members liked to be wearing the same colours instead of some in blue and some in green. Narim hung up and looked to Sam.

"Green. Here, I'll help you." he said, getting her green BDU's out and helping her dress

He dressed quickly and when he and Sam were ready to go, they made their way to the car and drove to the mountain.

Downstairs, Narim went to his lab while Sam went to hers. He had just set his cup of coffee down when Daniel came in.

"I thought you were taking some time off to help Sam." he said

"She's in her lab. She was very restless at home, so she decided to come in and see if she could be of any help to the team. Personally, I think she should be at home recovering, but she wanted to come in, so who am I to stop her?" he explained

"I'll pay her a visit and see how she's doing." Daniel said as he left the lab

Walking down the corridor and turning a corner, Daniel found himself at Sam's lab. At present, she was going through some journals she had in regard to the Naquadah generators. She was trying to find a way to make them more efficient and lighten them. Daniel knocked on the jamb and entered her lab.

"What's up? I thought you were supposed to be at home recovering. You should really be resting." he said

"I've rested enough. I was going stir crazy. It was either stay at home and slowly go crazy or some in and try to make myself useful." she said

"Well, I might have something that may cheer you up. We found this a few days ago and can't figure out what it is, what it does or how it works. Maybe you can figure it out." he said as he set a small silver box on her slab

She picked it up and took a close look at it and turned it around a few times. She smiled and looked over at him.

"I'll take a look at it and see what I can find. Thanks." she said kindly

Daniel left her to her new toy and went back to his lab. It was 06:00hrs and he left for the briefing room only to find King Artimus, Rogan and another, younger man seated around the table along with the rest of the team. Hammond was there and he introduced everyone.

"Daniel, as you may know, this is King Artimus, Count Rogan and the King's son, Uther. The King requests that his son stay here at the base so that he may learn battle tactics, hand to hand combat and other defensive measures from Teal'c. He is most eager to learn the Jaffa mastaba technique of doing battle, so that he might return and be able to teach the soldiers under his command. Count Rogan has his own company, as does Uther. My son has 200 soldiers under his command; knights and foot soldiers alike." Hammond explained

"Sounds like a plan." Jack said

"Indeed." Teal'c said in his typical tone

"We'll set Uther up with some VIP quarters and he can begin his training tomorrow. In the meantime, he should rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day. Teal'c, Uther will be your pupil. Teach him everything he needs to know." Hammond directed

Teal'c and Uther stood up at the same time and the King's son followed Teal'c out of the room and to his temporary quarters. Having settled in, Uther lay on the bed closed his eyes.

"There will be a guard posted outside your room. If you should need anything, just knock on the door and he will help you." Teal'c said

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Everyone went back about their business for the rest of the day and when it was time to go home, Sam elected to stay at the base instead of returning home. Narim left for the house and several changes of clothes for Sam. It was easier with her staying at the base than it would be for her to drive to the mountain every morning. This way all she had to do was grab a change of clothes, take a washcloth bath and go to her lab. It came as no surprise that Narim elected to stay with her at the base in the event that something came up.

In the early hours of the morning Sam and Narim woke to the pounding on their door by Teal'c. It was their wake up call. He slowly opened the door and found Narim and Sam still asleep; it would take more than a pounding to wake them up. Teal'c stood above Narim and as gently as he could, shook the man awake. Slowly opening his eyes and seeing Teal'c, Narim scampered into a seated position and looked around the room with a confused expression.

"It is 06:00hrs.Time to rise. The briefing is in 30 minutes." he said

Teal'c left as quickly as he had come and Narim shook Sam awake until her eyes opened.


	12. Chapter 12

I apologize for taking so long in updating this story. My laptop went all wonky on me and I had to get it fixed. And since I only write on my laptop, I was unable to update chapters of several stories.  
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Sam sat in her lab tinkering with the device that Daniel had just dropped off while Narim and the others sat at the briefing. Everyone on SG-1 would be returning to instruct the King's men on military tactics and history while Teal'c and Uther stayed behind. Teal'c had become like Master Bra'tac and Uther like the pupil Teal'c. They ate a lite breakfast and began Uther's training. They would begin with Mastaba and the remedial elements of the defense technique. Teal'c began to show Uther the movements in a slow, almost Tai-Chi like in manner.

While Teal'c and Uther were in the gymnasium, Sam and Narim were in his lab working on translations. Sam had brought her new toy into Narim's lab so that they could spend some time together. They hadn't been doing that so much as of late in part because Narim had been on mission a lot. He wasn't due to leave for another few hours and he wanted to spend some quality time with his new wife and make sure that her pregnancy was progressing safely. He still felt bad about Sam's accident and couldn't stop blaming himself. In his mind he wasn't shaping up to be such a good husband; he couldn't even prevent a simple accident from happening. From this current moment on he swore that he would do anything and everything he could to ensure her safety; both for herself and more importantly for their children.

Even when she was at the base and not on mission things had proven to be hazardous. If it wasn't the risk of being captured or hurt while on mission, she could still injure herself at the mountain while performing a simple task such as taking energy readings off the gate. Narim wondered if she was just clumsy or if her job at the base was truly that hazardous. He promised he'd do anything within his power to prevent further injury to Sam and potentially, the babies. But how was he to do this when he was on mission or out of the house for some errands. He was tempted to call on Teal'c in regards to keeping a watchful eye on Sam when Narim was unable to. He knew that Teal'c would be vigilant in watching Sam and would do anything in his power to keep Sam safe.

Looking over at Sam he smiled that smile she loved so much and she couldn't help but smile back at her. He loved her smile; her teeth were perfect and her eyes lit up like two stars; like pinholes in the curtain of night.

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It was several hours later and Narim and Sam were back at home and he was cooking supper for the two of them. He was making vegetarian stir-fry with steamed Basmati rice. As she sat on the couch in the living room flipping through the channels she could smell the wonderful smell of the food that Narim was preparing. Narim had turned out to be quite the gourmet cook. He'd been reading books and watching Julia Child on the cooking channel as well as Paul Proudhomme, or whatever his name was. Narim had begun an appreciation for Cajun cooking but on the other end of the spectrum, he was also developing an appreciation for Italian and Hispanic cuisine as well. He still wouldn't eat meat, but found hearty substitutes for it. He still found the idea of eating the meat of animals on the savage side, but said nothing when Sam would stop at Burger King for an Angus burger or Checker's for the NASCAR special with extra fries. He had learned that with her cravings it was best to turn the other way and let her eat what she wanted and give her no guff about it; even if it disgusted him. Her current favourite was Fig Newtons topped with Cheeze-Wiz. He couldn't understand the combination of tastes but if she liked it then he would keep his mouth shut and let her eat.

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06:00hrs and as Sam and Narim were at the mountain in the middle of a briefing about the day's mission. They were to go back to see King Artimus and find out how his soldiers were doing with the training that Jack and SG-3 had been giving them. By the looks of things everything was shaping up nicely. The soldiers were currently engaged in hand to hand combat against one another. They had been broken up in to groups of two and some were doing better than others.

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It had been several weeks since Sam had her accident and her casts had just been removed. She felt an odd sort of freedom in being able to move about without the hindrances of her casts. The first thing she did was walk to the locker room and take a full body shower. She was washing her hair when she heard a sound in the locker room. She called out.

"I'll be out in a minute." 

"Its me, Samantha." Narim said 

"Oh, ok. It feels so good to finally take a real shower. I haven't shaved my leg in weeks. It feels like Christmas tree." she said in raised tone to be heard over the sound of the water spray

"I can imagine. You must have been quite frustrated."

For the duration of her convalescence they had not made love even once and Sam could tell that Narim was very sexually frustrated, as was Sam. She had done her best to keep her hands to herself as had Narim, but this night would most certainly prove to be pleasurable for both of them.

The hours of the day passed with a sort of lightning speed and before they knew it Sam and Narim were back at home in bed letting their sexual frustration loose. They had started as soon as they opened the front door and it was now midnight and they were still going at it. It wasn't until around 2:am. They wouldn't get much sleep that night and when it was time to wake up and go to the mountain they were already up and at it; this would be the first time either of them would be late for work. They didn't show up until 7:am; two hours later than the usual time to report.

Sitting in the briefing room, all eyes were on them as they rushed into the room and quickly took their seats. There were snickers from Jack and Daniel and a raised eyebrow from Teal'c. General Hammond just gave a look of slight disapproval as he looked at the two. Daniel continued where he had left off when Sam and Narim entered the room.

"So, as we can see, the little green bio-grenades work, but the question is why were the Jaffa returning to the gate with dead symbiotes? Have the Goa'uld discovered a way to bring them back to life? The only thing I can think of is a sarcophagus. Maybe they just dump them in there and bring them back to life. If that's the case, then in the near and immediate future these little things won't work as we hoped. We need to find another way to defend ourselves. Sam, have you been able analyze the substance inside the spheres any further?" he asked as he sat down

"No, nothing more than I've already done." she replied 

"What we need to do is study the case more. I'm certain it'll reveal more, if we just study it more." Narim said

"I don't know how much more we can learn from the case." Daniel said 

"Well, have we tried emptying it. Maybe there are more inscriptions inside." Narim asked 

"Well, from what we learned from the outside of the case, when its empty it automatically refills itself." Daniel stated

"Empty. But how about if we take them all out except for one. That was the case won't be empty and we can see if there are more inscriptions on the inside." Narim suggested

"Its worth a try." Daniel said 

"Do it."Hammond said with an authoritative tone 

Daniel and Narim got up and went to Narim's lab where the case was sitting on the slab. They grabbed a cushioned Pelican storage case and one by one, they removed the spheres and carefully set them in the box. As they emptied the case they could see some glyphs inside and as they removed more and more of them there was more writing. When there was only one sphere left, Daniel went to his lab and grabbed his video camera. When he returned Narim was taking wide angle shots of the inside. When all the glyphs had been photo documented, they were downloaded into Narim's computer and then printed out on about a dozen sheets of paper. As the printer spit out the copies, Daniel and Narim grabbed them and began looking at them. They were in a different language than the writings on the outside of the case, but Daniel recognized the writing. Daniel took one of the sheets and went to his lab for a reference book that might help them in deciphering the inner writings. He nearly tore his shelves apart when he found the book he needed. He ran back to Narim's lab and started flipping through the pages.

"Here. it's the same language as the glyphs I saw on Abydos. It says that there's an antidote at another location; on another planet. It gives the order in which the glyphs must be dialed. We gotta show Hammond." Daniel said rather excitedly

They both ran to Hammond's office and knocked on the door.

"Come." Hammond called out

Daniel and Narim nearly broke down the door and started rambling about what they'd found. Hammond was listening and when Daniel and Narim had stopped jabbering, Hammond summoned Jack and Teal'c to the briefing room. They all sat around the table and listened to Daniel and Narim go on about what they'd discovered and that they had the gate address to this antidote. Thing was, if they had the antidote then the Goa'uld might have the address as well. Time being short, they all suited up and were ready within fifteen minutes. The gate was open and as they passed through the event horizon, they had no idea what lay on the other side of the gate.

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Crashing through the gate, they were ejected into a giant pool of water the size of a lake. They all swam to the shore and made sure they had everything they'd left Earth with. They had learned early on that when entering a pool of water and having to swim, sometimes things came loose, like zats, firearms and walkies. Seeing that everything was in good order and everybody had everything, they looked around for signs of foot traffic anywhere near the gate. It looked as if the gate had been abandoned for quite some time. As they walked around the back of the gate they split up into two teams. Daniel went with Jack and Narim went with Teal'c. Both teams wandered around until Daniel and Jack found some old temple ruins. Jack radioed Teal'c and within half an hour they were all together. Daniel broke out his journal from Abydos and began deciphering the writings on the walls while Narim took pictures and Teal'c took the video camera and filmed the writings.

Looking around the ruins, Narim looked for more writings, closely followed by Teal'c. You see, since Narim had more or less proven to be an accident waiting to happen where ancient ruins were concerned, he was under Jack's orders not to go anywhere alone. Tromping through some brush, Narim took a misstep and fell into a pit that was about twenty feet deep. When he had landed he broke his ankle, broke a couple of fingers and wrenched his neck. Calling out to Jack and Daniel, Teal'c tried to think of a way to get Narim out of his hole. Upon arrival, Jack looked down and saw Narim laying on the flat of his back.

"Agh, shit. Even with a bodyguard, you still manage to get hurt. Some people might call you a bad omen. Some might even go so far as to call you an accident waiting for a place to happen." Jack said, trying to muffle his laughter


End file.
